There Will Be Light (Season One)
by HiredByCobblepot
Summary: Set after Gotham, 'There Will Be Light' follows Agatha Elven who works for Selina Kyle, while the Criminal Underworld starts to merge from the shadows after ten years, the Dark Knight will rise and Agatha will be introduced to a real life of crime. 'The Enemy of my Enemy, is my Friend.' *Completely Finished and Spell Checked* Includes -The Beginning (Part 1) & Rogue's Way (Part 2
1. Prologue:

Welcome to Gotham City, Home to famous Villains, Heroes, regular people and your regular criminals.

You heard of the Legends.

Bruce Wayne's story.

How The Penguin came to be.

The street kid turned into a amazing Cat Burglar.

The Riddler's first deadly Riddle.

Mr. Freeze and his poor wife Nora.

James Gordon and The GCPD.

The tales of the twin Valeska's, now only one remains.

Hugo's ...STRANGE experiments.

Scarecrow's fear toxin.

Ivy's dangerous plants, And even experienced Jervis Tetch's work.

With the Dark Knight on the rise, and the villains becoming better than ever, why don't we add in a issue? A street kid who is almost eighteen who wants to learn more than how just steal. She wants to be a villain. But, not just any villain.

The best villain.

What could possibly go wrong? I mean, it is Gotham, Darling.

As Gotham went down, so did people. Rich, poor, unusual, sane, insane. No matter who or what the person was, they went down with half of Gotham.

As the survivors of Gotham stood with Jim Gordon to save Gotham, a families mansion was hit on the other side of Gotham. The explosion hit and the family wasn't prepared, the mansion went down and a man covered his wife and daughter with his body to protect them from the blast.

Covererd by her dead parents bodies, the little girl struggled underneath their weight but got free, she stared at the scene before her. The dark and old mansion laid around her broken down as her parents laid crushed by the weight of the destroyed home, she was frieghtened as she stared at the scene before her.

It took a few days but as people finally made their way to the other side of Gotham, she was found covered in smoke and her parent's blood, taken to the GCPD away from her home, Lee Gordon and Barbara Kean took care of the little girl. But, as talks of ideas sprung to the adult's minds about a orphanage just outside of Gotham, the little girl got scared.

The little girl ran, she ran from the GCPD and was caught by a young woman in a alley, she crouched down to the eight year old girls height and looked her in the eyes.

"I won't let anyone put you in a orphanage. I know how scary it is to be without someone to care for you" the young woman said, she looked the little girl over and smiled "I'm Selina. What's your name."

The little girl looked up at her with wide blue eyes and said "Agatha. Agatha Casrael Elven."

Selina stood and reached down taking the little girl by the hand "Well, Ace. Now we both have something in common, we were both abandoned. But, don't worry I will always be there for you" she told Ace as they walked hand in hand towards a old abandoned building and Selina Kyle set the girl up there, keeping her a secret from everyone.

For only a little while anyway.

(Follow me on Instagram: hiredbycobblepot, for news and such and Gotham photos. Updates will be posted every thursday. Plus, Gotham left us on a Thursday... Laters, A.C.)


	2. The Beginning:

"Get her!"

She ran and jumped over a garbage can missing a couple of Gotham citizens as she did so, she ran for her life as Harvey Bullock chased her through Gotham, she dodged the arms of two men who tried to catch her before cutting down a alley and climbing a fire escape up to the top of a building, she ran across the building and jumped over the gap between the two before heading to the next building.

One thing she has learned from Selina Kyle, always run, never get caught. She huffed as her feet finally slowed down when she thought Bullock was not following her, stopped at the edge of a building, she took the ham sandwich she'd stolen out of her jacket pocket, unwrapping the paper from it and she started to eat there on the rooftop, whether it went against her boss' words or not.

But shouts from down below made her have to repocket the sandwich before Bullock cuffed the teenager and sent her to Juvie. She hopped down onto a fire escape and ran down the steps, she jumped off the side and took back alleys to the destination she was heading to.

She ran until she reached a old building then stopped in front of it. It was left from the explosion on Gotham in the narrows, she gripped her small knife tightly as she walked into the building that looked like it was about to fall down. She carefully took the stairs that led down into the basement of the building.

She came to a door that was at the bottom, turning the handle to it she pushed the door open and walked in calling "Mister Zsasz?" in a small voice, still to this day Victor Zsasz scared her. Not only because he used to work for Carmine Falcone or a man named Oswald Cobblepot, but because of how he looked, he was scary now. He looked like a monster.

She took a breath "I have what you, uh, sent me for. Like every week" Ace called out into the darkness, a chill went up her spine when she got no answer "Should I just leave it on the floor?"A figure walked out of a door and straight towards her.

She froze in her spot, as she gripped her coat tightly, Victor Zsasz emerged from the shadows and looked down at her with a gaze that scared her.

Victor hasn't changed much in looks. But, what scared Ace was how deep he dug his tally marks into his skin, he dug them so deep that blood was still oozing from them, but not as much as it use to. When she first came toe-to-toe with Victor, he had killed ten men and dug tally marks into his skin, he had scared her then.

Almost as much as he scared her now.

Zsasz looked down, the tally marks on his nose and cheeks shining off the only light in the room which was over head. He gave a twisted smile "And what do you have for me today?" he asked as he crossed his arms, the torn jacket on his arms showing off the tally marks making her cringe "Something new? Or the same old thing you bring me every week?"

Her hands shook as she dug into her pockets and took out the foil wrapped sandwich she had almost ate earlier, she unwrapped it and brought out the sandwich, then took the top off of the sandwich.

Inside was a pink circle shaped pill. It made her nauseated just thinking about the poor soul who was going to take it, Zsasz needed a new tally mark each week. And if he couldn't take just one he would take a hundred. And his next victim was a rich man on the other side of Gotham, Zsasz knew he couldn't take him out inside the club he stayed out, so he needed help. He needed to knock him out, then get his tally mark.

Just being around Mister Zsasz made Ace cringe, shiver and get nervous. No wonder almost everyone stayed away from him, and no wonder the GCPD wanted Zsasz locked up in Arkham. He was just as crazy as the rest of them.

Zsasz looked down at Ace "Give my thanks to your boss. I will pay her back when the time is right" he said and took the sandwich her hands, he walked back into the darkness.

She looked to where he had gone and waited until the door was shut before running back up the stairs, one thing to know in Gotham. Never show fear, it can make things worse than it is.

She ran outside the building and headed back into the main street of Gotham, only to find Harvey Bullock and his partner against crime Vanessa Harper standing on the side of the road, Ace stopped completely and took off through a alley at a run.

Bullock had spotted her though and it made Ace run faster as Harvey yelled at her, as Bullock made his way into the alley, Ace jumped over a fence and hung her coat on a piece of the metal.

She cursed as she tried to rip her jacket off of the metal, Bullock laughed as he grabbed onto the fence "Oh, you have had it now you little-" as soona s Bullock had just gotten a leg over the top of the fence, Ace's jacket ripped and she was gone.

Bullock groaned "Damn it!" he yelled as he tried to grab her and fell off the top of the small fence, he landed on his back and rubbed his eyes as he looked up at the sky, how hard can it be to catch one small ...seventeen year old? He guess her age as he slowly got up off the ground and jogged towards where she had ran off.

But, Ace was long gone. She watched from a fire escape on a restaurant as Bullock made his way back to Harper and got in Bullock's car. Sighing with relief, she climbed up to the top of the building and smiled as she stretched her arms.

One thing about it, Bullock can put up a chase when he wants to. But, I will cut him some slack because of old age.

While Ace loves putting Harvey Bullock through hell to get him to exercise off his alcohol, there is a certain man in Gotham City who wants to see the GCPD put down.

And a certain winged mammal-man who keeps ruining his ideas.

Oswald Cobblepot angrily slammed down his tophat to look up at his goon that had just walked into his study "What do you mean to tell me that the ..." he looked towards the reporter in his study that was staring at him with a raised eyebrow and back to his goon "...the operation, was a no go?"

The goon who wore a black shirt that read 'Shark' with yellowish orange vest over it that bore the symbol of The Penguin on the back gulped as he held the bowler hat he wore in his hands tightly "Sorry, boss. A ...creature dropped us last night from taking all of the cash-"

Oswald grabbed the bowler hat out of the goons hands and slapped the man with it "I want that -" he stopped and turned to the lady "-if we are through here, would you care to leave?" He asked turning friendly all of a sudden and smiled "You know how it is when workers don't do their job."

The woman nodded "Of course, Mr. Cobblepot. But, do tell us one more thing if you will?" she said and flipped her notepad closed as she looked at Oswald "Our readers are wanting to know if you are ...out of your criminal acts?" She eyed the goon and raised a eyebrow "Lots of people are interested in this particular question."

Oswald hobbled towards the curly burgundy haired woman and gripped a wad of money off of his desk, he placed on top of her notebook she was holding "Does this answer your million dollar question?" he said, her eyes widened seeing the hundred dollar bills "I am not a criminal ...I am a ..." he searched his head thinking for the right word "..I am still a King of Gotham. I run this city. Nobody else."

She ran her fingers through the wad of money on her notepad "If you run this city then why does The Riddler always get on the cover on the Gotham Gazette more than you, Mr. Cobblepot." She took the money and put it in his hand before leaving the study "And why does Gotham's new 'hero' keep throwing your ...friends to Commissioner Gordon?"

The door shut and anger boiled through him as he thought about his one-time-friend Edward Nygma. And his old pal, the one person he thought he could actually trust, James Gordon.

Oswald grabbed a umbrella from beside his desk and turned around on the goon that had told him about the job going wrong because of that man-creature that flies around Gotham. He smiled twistedly at the man as he brought the umbrella up and a dagger popped out of the end of it.

The man's eyes widened "Mr. Cobblepot ...I-I-"

Oswald opened the doors to his study and walked out, the body of the goon laying on the floor in front of his desk. A goon dressed the same way as the other just with ripped out sleeves on his shirt, handed Oswald a handkerchief to wipe the blood off his face, Oswald threw it back at the goon as finished and he walked down the stairs of the newly rebuilt Cobblepot Manor, when he reached the bottom of the stairs another goon gave him another trick umbrella, Oswald took it and used his umbrella for a cane.

"Penguin, we tried. That ...thing flew in and ...me and Shark were lucky to get out of there" one goon said as he got up in front of Oswald and tried to explain to him, Oswald raised a eyebrow.

"What is wrong with all of you idiots?!" Oswald screamed making them all stop what they were doing, Oswald rolled his eyes "He is a man! A ordinary man dressed like a flying mammal. And what can we do to men?"

A goon in the corner squeaked "Fight them?" Oswald closed his eyes in annoyance from the answer.

"We can kill them, you knitwits!" he yelled and stomped his umbrella on a goons foot making the goon yell "That man has only been in Gotham for a month and a half, yet he is making it to where I cannot get my money. I cannot make deals with anyone from here to Star City or Metropolis!"

Oswald sat down in the throne-like chair in the room and looked out at his goons "He needs to be stopped" Oswald said and laid his umbrella across his legs.

The same man spoke up "How about we team up with that Riddle guy? He seems pretty smart-" a shot rang off in the air making him fall to the ground and everyone got quiet.

Oswald lowered the umbrella from his shoulder and looked at his men "Anybody else have a brilliant plan?" he asked with a twisted smile. Nobody spoke and Penguin nodded before laying his umbrella back down on his lap.

"I need a weapon. Something, or someone, I can use against my enemies and my so-called friends, and if someone does not give me a idea in two days I will personally set all of you on fire and laugh about it!" he shouted making the goons move and hurry out the door to find their boss a weapon.

Oswald sighed as he relaxed back into his chair and closed his eyes "Such morons" he said as a woman brought him a tray of grapes and set it beside him on a small table, Oswald smiled "Thank you, Olga."

Ace knew something was up as soon as she seen him. He was talking on the phone and looked like he was concentrating on something, his bookcase right in front of his desk, Ace had to roll her eyes as she held the letter in her hand. She knew her Cat-like friend was crazy, but she didn't know she was this crazy.

As soon as she stepped foot into Wayne Manor, Bruce was beside her taking her by the hand and leading her in through the window "Easy does it" he said as she got both feet on the floor, Ace had to sigh.

"I wish you weren't-" she stopped and checked her pockets but looked up to see Bruce was already reading the letter, Ace rolled her eyes, yet again, at the man "Quit doing that, let me hand you the letter every once in awhile. Please. It would make my coming here necessary."

Bruce smiled as he sat down in his chair and put the letter on his desk "I bet you don't even realize how much she has rubbed off on you through the years" he said and started writing a letter "I admit it is kind of amazing."

She sighed "Why do I have to be letter-girl? Why can't you use phones like normal people?" Ace asked plopping down in a chair in front of his desk "Even Bullock uses a phone and he is ancient."

Bruce smiled a bit "We will let you know when we will use phones and quit ruining your precious time" he said as he folded the paper and put it in a envelope "Will that work? Or do you have a hot date tonight?"

He handed the letter to her and she took it from him looking at it in her hands "Just what exactly do you talk about? Are you even still friends or-?" She was interrupted by the door to Bruce's study opened.

Alfred Pennyworth stuck his head in "Sir, I wish to know if-" he stopped talking when he seen Ace "Oh, should I set a extra place for dinner, sir?"

She held the letter up and Alfred nodded "Sorry, Mr. Pennyworth. I gotta get this to crabby cat and then catch some dinner" she told the butler as she stood up from the chair and nodded to Bruce "Later."

"Why don't you eat with us one night? Alfred makes enough food to feed the GCPD" Bruce offered, she turned and smiled at him.

"No thank you, Mr. Wayne. But, if you want someone to eat with you I am pretty sure Harvey Bullock would love that. Especially if its tacos, he eats them like that are going out of style."

Bruce laughed and just like that, Ace jumped down out of the window and walked up the long driveway, damn thats a long drive way to get to a big mansion. I mean did Bruce have to have all of this for one person and a butler? Geez, this is a lot of room for one man, she complained in her head. And a butler.

She shook her head as she went through the gate and made her way towards town, she was going to have to catch some food before she headed to the cat's place.

It was a long and tiring walk to town, and as soon as she got to Gotham main street she didn't feel like going all the way across town to her favorite burger joint, maybe she could snatch something off of this end for once?

Paulie's Diner? Nah maybe next week. The newly opened italian restaurant? Nah, too fancy. The Taco stand?

After searching for a second, she spotted it and smiled as she made way towards it, she snuck along as the man was busy tending to someone else and easily grabbed two tacos from the box on the truck before walking away into the crowd. If she learned anything it was always hide what you were stealing.

As she was putting the tacos in her jacket pocket, her shoulder bumped someone's arm and she mumbled a 'sorry' but was grabbed by the arm, she looked up and her eyes widened.

"Shit."

Harvey Bullock grinned "I finally got you" he said as he dragged her along to his car, she tugged against his grip but he was already opening the door to the backseat, he put her in and shut the door behind her, he opened the driver side door and got in, he fixed the rearview to look back at her.

"Boy, the restaurants around here are going to be happy I caught you."

The only thing Bullock didn't realize, he didn't handcuff her and the car he drove wasn't a actual police car so it was easy to open the back doors. And that was exactly what Ace did, she opened the door and jumped out of a moving vehicle making Harvey come to a stop on the road, cars behind him honked their horns as Ace ran away from the cars.

Ace ran through a alley and it started to rain on her, she sighed as she looked up at the sky and raindrops hit her face, good thing I am heading to give this letter to the cat.

In Cobblepot manor, Oswald sat on his kingly-chair and stared out the window at his flowers in the yard that reminded him of his mother, but he was thinking about a way to ruin Riddler's name and put down the man who has ruined his ideas.

A goon walked into the room carrying a box and two more came in behind him, Oswald raised a eyebrow as he looked at them "And what is this?" he asked them, the goon laid the box down and straightened his back up and a goon known as Randy walked up to Oswald smiling.

"A way to get the man. You see, we think that bullets wouldn't work because he is always moving around and he is hard to shoot at" Randy told Oswald as he reached into the box and brought out...

Two cans of Bat Repellant.

Oswald put his hand on his head as he stared at the idiots in front of him "Why on earth would I need to use Bat repellent?!" he yelled and stood up making the goon step five steps back "I don't want to repel him, I want him dead!"

Randy gulped "Well, I-I thought we could repel him away from the scenes ...you know keep him away, spray this around the museums, banks and stores-" he stopped when the tip of Oswald's umbrella gun was pointed at his nose.

"I think you are stupid. He is not a actual Bat, you morons, he is a man. Think of something more clever and come back to me" Oswald said and lowered the gun "Or I will put a bullet through your head." With that warning, the goons left and didn't bother to grab the box they had sat down.

Oswald waddled over and picked up a can of the Bat Repellant, he shook his head and kicked the box to the side as he went back to his kingly-chair and placed the bat repellent behind the table that sat beside him, you never know when you might need something..

At this point from what all he has seen in Gotham, it might actually work ...or at least be a substitute for pepper spray.

(Don't Forget to watch Gotham, press Vote and send love to Zsasz!- A.C.)


	3. The Beginning:(12-05 14:29:12)

Climbing up the fire escape, Ace reached a window and tapped on it. She peeked in and saw her friend standing there, wearing a leather body suit and a cat eared mask. She tapped on the window again, making the woman turn Around with a confused look then rolled her eyes when she seen Ace.

Selina Kyle walked towards the window and let Ace into her apartment, Ace jumped in through the window and rubbed her hands on her arms as she took in her surroundings of Selina's apartment. Leather couch, TV, and a few book cases in the living room, a small kitchen to the left and a bedroom and bathroom to the right. Ace sneezed as she rubbed her arms, Selina frowned.

"Ace. Why didn't you come here before it started raining?" she asked Ace like a demanding mother as she walked into the bedroom, Ace sneezed again "Take off the jacket and hang it on the kitchen chair." Ace did as told and sniffed as she went to the refrigerator and grabbed a canned drink from it.

Selina walked back into the room and handed her a set of pajama's "Here. Wash your clothes so they will be clean when you leave in the morning" Selina told her as she tucked hair up under her cat-mask.

Ace frowned as she went into the bathroom with the pajamas and laid them down on the hamper before starting a hot shower, Ace peeled the leather jacket, black shirt, black jeans off and took off her combat boots before stepping over into the shower and letting the hot water run over her aching muscles.

She stayed in the shower for a few to relax then got out and put on the black shirt and pajama bottoms Selina had given her, Ace walked out of the bathroom and saw Selina was looking out the window at Gotham, Gotham was pretty from up here. You wouldn't think as much criminal activity went on like it did at night.

Selina turned to Ace "Did you give Zsasz what I stole for him?" she asked, Ace nodded and sat on the couch turning the TV channel "Is he going to pay me back?"

"Maybe eventually. And Bruce gave me a letter to give to you, it is in my jacket pocket." Ace stood up and went back into the bathroom digging her clothes out and getting the letter out of the jacket pocket, it had mild sauce on it from her tacos she ate on her way to Selina's, she handed the letter to Selina as she passed her to go to the washing machine, she threw everything in except the jacket which she hung on a hanger to dry.

When she went back into the living room Selina was ripping up the letter and throwing it into the trash can in the kitchen, Ace raised a eyebrow "You alright in there?" she asked, when Selina turned around to her she looked angry but she hid it quickly.

"I'm fine. Bruce is just ...being Bruce" Selina told her lamely and put her hands on the kitchen counter "Sometimes I want to go over to Wayne Manor and knock the hell out of him."

Ace shrugged as she went back to the couch and looked at the TV "Well, I can't help you with your boy problem until you tell me what you are both arguing about" she told Selina.

Selina rolled her eyes "When you get as good as me at stealing you will know exactly what me and Bruce are arguing about. Or if you ever get your heart broken" she told Ace, Ace looked at the TV and narrowed her eyes as she thought over Selina's words.

"I don't think I could ever be as good as you are. Selina you are totally awesome, you are a bad ass" Ace said as she picked at a loose string on the Pajama bottoms "I'm just a normal thief. A street rat."

Selina looked at her and made a face "I might be badass. But, I am a thief. You shouldn't be learning under someone like me, Ace" she said and sat down beside Ace on the couch "You could be out there living a good life, not a life like this. You should be out there either settling down or finding you a college."

Ace rolled her eyes "Where else would I go? Besides, I don't want to go to college and I definitely do not want to get married. I'm happy where I am" she told Selina and crossed her arms "If I was one of those pretty girly girls out there, I think I would have to go crazy."

Selina took a mirror off of the table "Ace, look in this mirror" she said handing it to her, Ace took it from her and frowned with what she seen looking back in the mirror. A seventeen year old girl with ghost white skin, orangish-brown hair and blue eyes covered in eyeliner and black eyeshadow, lips as red as a rose. Ace frowned and Selina cocked her head to the side "What do you see?" she asked Ace.

"A girl in very bad need of a tan? And some hair dye?"

Selina chuckled and took the mirror from Ace, smacking her on the arm lightly with it "Really? Because I see a strong young woman who can do anything she sets her mind to" she said and smiled at Ace hanging her hands between her legs holding the mirror "Picture the woman you want to be, and hang onto it. Even if it means changing your look. If you want it go for it, if someone tries to stop you they are stopping you from being who you want to be."

As Selina stood up Ace said "Why don't you talk to Bruce? I have had to hear your stories of him fifty million times in ten years. Clearly, you both-" Selina held a hand out to Ace to stop her from speaking more of it.

"That is between me and him. Ace, feel free to eat anything, I gotta go. You get some sleep" she said grabbing her clawed gloves off of the bar and walking out the door, Ace frowned and turned to the TV in front of her.

I wish I knew where she went all of the time besides to steal jewels and money.

Oswald sat in his manor looking at all of the goons in front of him who were mumbling amongst themselves trying to help him find a weapon, they would do anything for their boss out of respect and fear.

And Oswald secretly loved it.

Penguin had his head leaned on his hand looking out at the idiots in front of him, he closed his eyes "Have you seriously not found a single weapon?" he asked as he stood up and walked towards the door "Fine. I guess we do this job with guns, Octo load up" he called to a man in the middle of the room wearing a black shirt that read 'OCTO.'

The man nodded and yelled to his fellow Penguin men, Oswald walked out to a car and got in the back, he fixed his tophat on his head and Octo got up front to drive his boss to the event they were going to. Oswald's thoughts however were on a plan he had set out earlier.

Oswald had both hands on his umbrella as he stared out the window, the tall bulding of Wayne Enterprises was near and it sat higher than any building in Gotham. It made Oswald feel uneasy as he remembered the day he stood shoulder to shoulder with Bruce Wayne, Jim Gordon and the others that had been left in Gotham. And now they thought they were all better than him, him who had been sent to Blackgate for ten years.

Gotham was his City, he was the King of Gotham and he was going to prove that to them.

The car stopped in front of the former Sirens club that once belonged to Barbara Kean and now had been bought by Bruce Wayne and was being re-opened tonight, Oswald stepped out of the car as the door was opened and he used his umbrella to help him walk as he made his way up to the door and it was opened for him by a man, Oswald gave him a nod and walked into the newly opened night club.

Ace couldn't sleep, every time she closed her eyes she saw the fire of her old home in flames and it didn't help her. She kicked the covers from her and rolled onto her side to see a cartoon on TV, she reached for the glass of cotton candy soda she had fixed about an hour ago and took a long sip of it.

Everytime she sleeps she dreams of the night Gotham went to hell, how nobody know'd about her until Jim Gordon found her in the rubble of the old manor house, she had been covered by both of her parents and she was to be sent to a orphanage outside of Gotham. She ran away from the GCPD and Selina had found her in a alley, she is thankful everyday for Selina Kyle. A mother figure.

Selina has been good to her, giving her a place to stay at night and food to eat, but Ace wanted more than to be a common thief. Her eighteenth birthday was coming up and Ace knew she would wind up in jail if Harvey caught her after her birthday. Ace needed something better, something to be good at.

Something different.

She was tired of the same old thing everyday, she needed to switch up her routine a little, maybe help someone other than Selina ...and it was not going to be Mister Zsasz, Ace does have her limit on creepiness, and Zsasz was that limit.

Ace looked out at the stars that looked over Gotham and closed her eyes wishing for something new to come her way.

Selina Kyle walked into Bruce's new club dressed in a black floor length dress, after stealing a black jewel from a museum she went back to her apartment and found Ace asleep on the couch, Selina had tucked a cover over the teenager before changing and heading to the club.

Bruce's letter said to meet him here, but where, she wondered as she walked towards the bar and searched for his face. Instead she was met with the face of Victor Zsasz who was playing bartender, he had either bought or stolen a suit for the occasion, he had makeup covering his tally marks.

Selina raised a eyebrow "What are you supposed to be?" she asked him as he served a drink to a woman in a red dress, he grinned at her.

"Your bartender for the night. Tell me if you see a blond man with a earring in his ear and a scar on his right hand" Zsasz said as he looked at the hand on a blond man sitting near the woman in red "I need to know, Ms. Kyle."

Selina rolled her eyes "In a hurry to use your knife, Victor?" she asked as she leaned on the bar "Let me know if you see Bruce Wayne. I have a important issue to talk with him about."

Victor gave her a nod of his head and she turned away from the bar and was caught with a surprise.

Oswald Cobblepot was standing near the bar close to her talking with a reporter, fake smiles and fake happiness. She watched as he motioned them away and waited until nobody else was nearing him, she walked towards him slowly and put her hand on her hip as she stared at him.

"Long time no see, Penguin" she said, he looked at her and quickly put on a fake smile as he looked her over "Tell me, how was Blackgate."

He put both hands on his umbrella as he used it to stand "Ms. Kyle, lovely to see you again. Truly" he said in a fake happy voice "I see you have worked your way up in Gotham."

Selina narrowed her eyes "I have. I started working my way up when Barbara and Tabitha was training me" she said smoothly and gave a smile "You remember Tabitha right? My mentor" Oswald put a look on his face that made him look annoyed "I will take that as a yes."

"Why don't we leave that in the past? That was ten years ago, my dear" Oswald said and spotted someone behind Selina "If you will excuse me, Ms. Kyle I need to have a chat with someone."

She watched him waddle off and rolled her eyes before taking a wine glass off of a tray a waiter was toting around.

Maybe Selina felt for Ace like Tabitha had felt for Selina that day, nowhere else to go and needed someone to care for her. Just maybe her and Ace were a lot more alike than she had thought.

"Selina" a voice spoke behind her, she turned around and seen Bruce. Selina stood up straight as she looked at him and narrowed her eyes.

"You wanted to see me Bruce, here I am. Now what do you want exactly?"

As Bruce and Selina had a stare down, Oswald had hobbled away and towards the door that a man in a green coat had went in, Oswald followed the swinging doors until he came up to him who was laying a rolled up piece of paper on the desk that was in front of him. Oswald leaned on his cane and looked at him.

"I want you to quit stealing my spotlight."

Nygma turned hearing Oswald's voice and rolled his eyes "Oswald, nice to see you again" Edward Nygma said simply and turned back to putting a question mark on the rolled up piece of paper "And, I cannot do that."

Oswald banged his umbrella against the floor "And why not? This is my City, Edward, not yours." Nygma turned around holding a cane with a question mark at the top, he pointed it at Oswald's pointy nose.

"I am the Riddler. And it is my City, Oswald. Gotham belongs to me. Not you, and not some dummy in a batsuit" Nygma said in annoyance and started for the door. Oswald held his umbrella out in front of him and made him stop, Oswald walked around in front of him and gave him a evil look.

"I am warning you, Edward Nygma. Back down or I will hurt you" Oswald warned, he lowered his umbrella and gave Nygma one last mean look before walking out the door and towards the bar.

He noticed a old friend working the bar and walked up to him. When Victor turned around he noticed Oswald and smiled "Oswald. Good to see you, been a long time" Victor said and fixed a daiquiri, he slid it towards Oswald. Oswald looked down at the drink and moved it away from him with a finger.

Victor nodded "Understood. I saw you talking with Selina Kyle" he told Oswald and shook his head "She has trained a street rat into running orders for her. Honestly, the kid is quiet and easy to scare" Victor paused and realized Oswald didn't know what he was talking about "Oh, right. Blackgate, sorry."

Oswald gave him a confused look "Selina took in a kid?" he asked as he picked up the daiquiri and stared at the liquid alcoholic beverage.

"Yeah. Well, teenager ...honestly, I don't know her age. Kind of young though" Victor got lost in his thoughts for a second then shook his head, he looked over at a blond man and told Oswald happily "Enjoy your drink."

Oswald watched him walk off, Selina took in a kid? How can Selina get someone to run her errands for her yet all I can get is a bunch of morons? Oswald thought and went to take a sip of the daiquiri, he thought twice about it and placed it down on the bar before waddling away.

Selina stared up at Bruce as he looked down at her, of course everyone from Alfred Pennyworth to Ace knew Selina had Bruce's heart wrapped around her finger. And she always would.

"I need you to quit sending Ace to receive and give letters. She almost walked in on Alfred telling me some ...important things" he told Selina who crossed her arms and looked up at him.

"Then be more careful. Ace is my friend and helper, she does what I want her to."

Bruce shook his head "She has a life of her own besides running around letters and such for you" he told Selina and crossed his arms "She is a good girl, she needs than a life of crime."

Selina held her hands out "This is Gotham, Mr. Wayne. Ace chose this life when she ran away from the GCPD because they were going to put her in a orphanage" Selina pointed out, she turned away from him and Bruce grabbed her arm making her look up at him.

Bruce was looking down at her with sad eyes "I wish you didn't hate me so much," he whispered to Selina and moved her hair back from her face. She pulled away from him and shook her head at Bruce.

"Then you shouldn't have left me that day."

She turned around and walked towards the entrance of the club to leave. She needed to get back to Ace and make her a list of what she needed Ace to do tomorrow.

Outside the club, Selina stopped and went over in her head about what she had just thought and what Bruce had told her. Maybe I am giving Ace too much work.

Meanwhile, in the car on his way to Cobblepot Manor, Oswald Cobblepot was grinning and he looked at the box in his lap his goons had stolen from Gold Pawn near Paulie's Diner, they actually done something right for once. They had gotten him a sniper rifle, if he can get the bat into view just right, one of his goons can shoot to kill the man.

He grinned as he looked down at the weapon, then Gotham will be rid of this wannabe hero, and Oswald Cobblepot will be the hero. Again.

(Don't Forget to watch Gotham, press Vote and send love to Selina!- A.C.)


	4. The Beginning:(12-05 14:29:24)

When morning came, Ace woke up to Selina holding egg, cheese and bacon biscuits in a bag right in front of her face, Ace sat up and took the bag from Selina as the woman went to the kitchen and grabbed two cans of soda, Ace peeked into the bag and drug the food out.

"How was your night out?" Ace asked as she tore into a biscuit, Selina sat down beside her and got out her own biscuit, she stared at Ace as she unwrapped the food.

"It was good. I made a couple of deals and got a gorgeous necklace from the jewelry story near Paulie's" Selina said and stared at the TV in front of her "It was easy peasy."

Ace stared at Selina before finishing off her biscuit "Mm. So, you didn't leave and come back last night? Only to leave again, or was I seeing things?" Ace said as she sipped her drink. Selina looked at her teenage friend and raised a eyebrow.

"How did you know that?"

"Selina, when I sleep I snore. You couldn't tell I was awake when you left?" Ace said with a laugh and set her drink down on the coffee table before standing and stretching, she walked to the bathroom and got ready to change into clean clothes she had washed last night.

Selina sat there thinking over Bruce's words from the night before and started wondering if she should send Ace to do some things for her ...or let Ace take it easy.

As Ace came out of the bathroom, Selina stopped her by grabbing her arm. Ace looked down at her confused and Selina smiled at the teenager "Hey, feel free to take it easy today, I think you have done enough this last month to slack off a bit" she told Ace who was looking at Selina like she was crazy.

"Enough? I need to do more for my name to become known" Ace said and moved Selina's hand off of her arm "If I slack now, Bullock will think I have gone ...well, nice."

Selina smiled "Well, I have nothing for you to do today" she lied and kicked her feet up to stretch out on the couch, she shrugged "Feel free to do whatever you want."

Whatever I want? Thought Ace as she made her way to the window and stepped out onto the fire escape, she raised a eyebrow at Selina's words, what the hell am I going to do?

Oswald put on his best. Tophat, check. Tie, check. Purple and black suit with a white button up, check. Umbrella gun...

Oswald walked to his bed and picked the umbrella gun up off of his bed, he used it to help him as he walked out of the room. He walked down to the living room to see his men ready in uniform.

"Move out, remember. Everybody will do as I say. If not, hell will await you later. Now, let us go make a deal" he ordered them as a goon held open a door for him. Oswald stepped out into the sunlight shining down on Gotham and made a face.

"Beautiful morning, eh boss?"

Oswald resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he put on a sarcastic smile "Very beautiful. Although, I prefer the nightlife. Or rain" he said as he walked to the car and got in the back. He sighed as he looked out on the City he once had loved.

But, it was ruined by Nyssa al Ghul and her ...army, rebuilt by morons. Nothing was like it used to be, nothing will ever be the same and neither would he.

Ace walked the streets of Gotham, looking at the people around her. Take it easy, selina had said, and do what? I'm always doing something, I have to be doing something. Maybe I should have stayed with Selina and drove her crazy until she gave me a order?

Ace shook her head at the thought and sat on a park bench, she looked out at the birds, people, trees and kids playing on the playground. She looked down at the ground and shook her head.

The newly rebuilt Gotham was strange, she could remember when it was dark and gloomy. It made Gotham beautiful, now it was sunshine and brightness for everyone since this ...hero-ish person started throwing gangs and people in the GCPD.

A new Gotham, a new life. Funny how it all happened so quickly.

Ace sighed and closed her eyes as she let the sun hit her pale face, it felt good to be sitting down and ...relaxed. But, of course it wouldn't last for long.

A snap caught her attention quickly and her eyes shot open to see a man in a ...outfit? Is this halloween? She thought as she stared at him, then seen a crazy kind of something in his hand. It took her a minute to realize what it was.

A flamethrower, and he was pointing it right at the kids on the playground.

Ace didn't hesitate, she took action. She ran at him and kicked out at his hand knocking the flamethrower object to the ground, he looked at her and she looked at him as she kicked the flamethrower away from him and into the grass behind her.

The man attacked and hit her eye, she hit back and caught his mouth with her ring, she ripped his lip open with it and he yelled catching the attention of everyone in the park. She hit him again, he thrashed out at her and she ducked before swinging her leg up.

It collided between his legs and Ace made a shocked face of what she had done, then she punched him in the face making him hold onto his nose.

He stood up straight and ran at her, she crouched making him trip over her, she laughed before swinging a kick to his ribs, he held his hand over his ribs as he tried to stand, Ace threw another kick into his face making him yell.

Just as she started to kick the man again, he reached over and grabbed the flamethrower, he set her pants leg on fire and Ace shrieked as footsteps came running, a bottle of water was opened and poured onto her leg to douse the fire.

She bent down and put her hands on her burned leg, she closed her eyes and let a line of curse words slip from her mouth. When she raised back up she saw Harvey Bullock arresting the man, she started to run.

"Hey" Bullock said, she turned around and he walked up to her with a cocky smile on his face, she raised an eyebrow at him as he stopped beside her "Thank you for stopping this man for us."

He had said it so kindly, so nicely that it surprised Ace. Bullock held his hand out to shake hands and she slapped her hand into his.

A snap of handcuffs caught her attention. She closed her eyes as she realized it had been a trick, she looked down to where Harvey's other hand had been holding the cuffs and looked up at him with a face that read seriously?

"Honestly, thank you. But, you are still under arrest for stealing a taco from my man Zack and his taco truck" Bullock said turning Ace around and handcuffing her hands behind her back, she closed her eyes and looked up at the sky.

You have got to be kidding me, I do a good thing for Gotham and I get arrested for stealing a taco ...or five a week.

Bruce Wayne, billionaire, party guy, and citizen of Gotham City, sat at his desk looking at the bookcase in front of him. The secret entrance to his cave sat behind it, calling to him.

He shook his head and went back to looking over a file for Wayne Enterprises as Alfred brought in a tray with a glass of tea, and a sandwich on it for him. Alfred sat the tray down on the desk and looked at the boy he had took care of over the years.

Bruce looked up at Alfred "Did you know the dark knight caught six thugs last night and also caught Scarecrow for the third time this month?" he said with a smug smile, he chuckled as he tested out the name dark knight "I feel good about myself today."

Alfred rolled his eyes "Yes, but even heroes have to eat something, master Bruce" he said and nodded to the tray "That better be finished by the time I return."

Bruce smiled at Alfred as he left the room, he closed the file and reached for the tray just as the phone rang, he picked it up and answered with a polite "Hello."

"Bruce" Selina said in an unsure voice "I, uh, thought I would call."

Bruce noticed the worriment in Selina's voice "What is it? Selina, are you alright?" he asked her, he stood up and looked towards the bookcase, ready to run towards it in a instant.

"No! I mean, I'm fine. It's Ace" she said and sighed "Harvey Bullock caught her earlier and ...arrested her. I told her to take it easy today and she went to the park."

"Why are you calling me?" Bruce asked her thinking about the past letter from her he had received "The last I heard you wanted nothing to do with me."

Selina went quiet for a minute "You know Gordon. Talk with him, for Ace. Harvey is determined to put her in juvenile hall ...or worse since she is almost eighteen" she said, the phone made a noise then went to dial tone.

Bruce hung up the ancient phone on his desk and stared down at the tray before him, Selina knew he would do anything for her. And she knew he liked the kid, so of course he was going to help.

Alfred walked back into the room and crossed his arms "So ...tell me why you haven't ate?" he asked Bruce. Bruce smiled and stood from his chair, he walked around the desk and grabbed his jacket.

"I have to go save a girl from the hands of Harvey Bullock and juvie" Bruce took the sandwich off the tray and smiled "I'll take it with me" he told Alfred and took a bite out of the sandwich before leaving.

Ace sat in the cell looking at the thugs next to her in the cell over, one gave a smile to her and she moved as far away as she could after seeing pointy teeth in his mouth, she closed her eyes as she leaned her head on the bars.

Just perfect.

"Ace."

She looked up to her name being called and seen Bruce Wayne standing in front of her, she hurried over to the bars and looked at him with wide eyes "I don't care if I have to work for you to pay you back, just get me out of here" she panicked as he smiled and patted her on the hand that she had wrapped around the cell bar.

When Ace had imagined a day off, this was so not what she had imagined, she imagined lazing around the park or even seeing what Tetch had up his sleeve, not being in a jail cell.

As Ace leaned against the bars and looked up to Gordon's office, Bruce made his way up to the desk and smiled when he seen Jim Gordon, Jim stood up straight from how he had been bent over the railing looking at the cells.

Before Bruce could even speak Jim cut to the chase "I know exactly what you are wanting, Bruce."

Bruce leaned on the rail and looked out at the officers below "Jim... Ace is a good kid, just brought up as a street kid" he said softly, he looked at Jim and smiled a soft one "Admit it, you like the fact she makes Harvey exercise. A lot."

Jim chuckled and shook his head as he crossed his arms "It is funny. When he brought her in he wanted to get her fingerprints. He wanted to do everything and go ahead and send her to Blackgate" Jim said, Bruce frowned as he looked at Jim who was looking at the girl in the cell.

"Why didn't you agree?"

Jim smiled "With Gotham's new hero bringing in criminals every night, I have noticed one thing" he said and looked at Bruce thoughtfully "He hasn't brought in one street kid yet."

Bruce looked out at the room again before saying "Maybe this ...Dark Knight does have a heart."

Jim grunted "Well, with how things look out there ...it won't be long and he will be bringing them in as well. If Ace works for Selina, imagine at the thugs that could talk other kids to do stuff for them" Jim said and shook his head.

Bruce looked at him before Gordon motioned a officer over and told him to let Ace out of her cell. Jim looked at Bruce and smiled "Be careful out there, lots of crazies are on the loose ... and tell Ace not to get into any more trouble."

Bruce smiled as he watched Jim walk away, then he turned to walk Ace out the door.

Exiting the GCPD, Ace and Bruce was stopped by a brown haired man wearing glasses, toting a notepad and pencil with a camera hanging around his neck. He held a hand out to Bruce.

"Mr. Wayne, nice to finally meet you, I'm Jack Ryder" he said and flashed a smile to Bruce, Ace raised a eyebrow at him before looking to Bruce who was watching the man wearily.

Bruce took Ryder's hand and shook it "Nice to meet you, Mr. Ryder. Is there something I can help you with?" he asked as he crossed his arms.

Jack Ryder cleared his throat "Yes, I wishing to get a interview with you about your new Wayne Enterprises. Gotham Chronicle would really like to know about your plans" he told Bruce and flashed another smile "For the readers of course."

Both Ace and Bruce shared a look before Bruce clapped Jack on the shoulder and gave a smile of his own "Maybe some other time. Uh, call my office and set up a time" Bruce said and pushed Ace to get her to move along.

"It was nice to meet you" was the only thing Jack Ryder could yell as he watched Bruce scurry away. When they were out of earshot Bruce rolled his eyes.

'The only thing I dreaded about coming back to Gotham, the reporters."

Ace smiled "I wondered how he was going to call your people without having a number" she said and shook her head, Bruce smiled as they stopped on a side street where Bruce had parked his car.

"Unfortunately, they always find a number" Bruce said in a dreadful voice and gave Ace a pat on the shoulder "You better move along. Selina is worried about you."

She rolled her eyes "Just like a mom, always worried that the kid gets home safe" she said and started to turn away but stopped, she looked to Bruce when was getting in his car "Thanks."

He smiled at her "Your welcome, just don't drive Bullock too crazy. Even I cannot get people out of some things" he said as he shut the door and turned the key in the ignition, Ace ran for a alley.

She walked down the alley and went right at the end ending up behind a Pharmacy. She stretched her arms out and raised them above her head, she froze when she saw a man in a police officer clothing block the next exit. When she turned around another was blocking the left.

Three guys in officer uniforms blocked her three exits.

Ace backed up against a wall, one smiled "Oh man, the boss is going to be happy to have a new test subject" he said and laughed, she noticed in his hand was a string with a needle on the end filled with some kind of orange liquid.

The one to her left tried to punch her, she kicked one in the ribs sending him flying into a pole, then swung the next that attacked her into the fence beside the restaurant, she grabbed the one who was holding the needle and kept him at bay before swinging him into a trashcan like a basketball.

The one she had swung into the pole got up and went to tackle her, turning just in time she flung her leg into his chest making him hit his head on a fire hydrant.

A thug jumped on Ace from behind and she fought to get him off, she finally managed a grip on his arms and threw him into a light pole.

The one ran at Ace with the needle and she ducked dodging his swing, she came up and punched him sending him backwards before swinging out her foot at his leg sending him to the ground.

When one charged she jumped up putting her hands on his back and flipping over him, he couldn't stop. He ran right into a garbage can that held papers. He landed on his back covered in the trash.

Ace went to punch one who she had backed up against the building, but he moved his head and she ended up punching the wall with her fist, Ace grunted and held her fist as the goon rammed her up against the wall. She dug her nails deep into his neck so hard it drew blood, he let go of Ace and held his hand to his neck, prying her nails away from him.

As a thug punched her in the nose, she grabbed him by his jacket and slung him into the building. A goon tried to trip her up, but Ace caught herself. She kicked her foot up behind her and it collided very hard between his legs, he fell to the ground, Ace turned around and kicked her other foot into his head knocking him onto his side.

The goon who held the toxin filled syringe grabbed her by her hair, she pushed backward hard and wrecked his back into the wall. He let go of her hair and reached for her throat, squeezing his hand tight, Ace reached out and did the same to him and dug her nails into his neck as she forced his other hand away from her...

..and towards him.

Her nails dug deep into his neck as she plunged the needle into his neck and made him take the toxin, he screamed as she let go of him and he fell to his knees. She looked down at him and closed her eyes.

"Tell Crane to get him a different test subject."

A snap caught her attention and she turned to see Jack Ryder snapping photos, Ace panicked and fled the scene as Jack continued to snap photos of the fight that had taken place and of Scarecrow's goons.

As Ace ran away, she didn't stop but only had enough time to think about how angry Selina was going to be that she didn't go straight to Selina's apartment as told to do by Bruce.

God, she is going to kill me.

"I don't think he's coming boss."

Oswald looked to where on of his goons had spoken and rolled his eyes "Oh he will be here. And if he isn't we will try again" he said to the goon, Oswald looked up at the moon and closed his eyes "Do it again."

Two goons dragged a gun dealer who had done business with Oswald earlier out of a van and made him get on his knees, one of the goons held a gun up and pressed it to the dealers head.

"Night-night."

Something came out of the middle of nowhere and struck the goon in the back of the head, Oswald turned as the man went down and smoke came from nowhere. Oswald held his umbrella up to shoot as the man came down from the sky and started fighting his men.

Oswald looked to where his sniper had been above them on a building and paused.

The goon was hanging by the foot from the edge of the building, all the blood rushing to his head had made him go unconscious.

Oswald squeezed his eyes shut and looked to where the man was fighting his goons, Oswald waddle-ran to his getaway car as he watched the man knock out one of his men's teeth, he got in the car and slammed the door behind him.

The car took off and Oswald leaned his head on his hand as he looked out the window. Next time I will be the sniper, he thought as he sighed angrily, then I will put the man down. A goon in the passenger seat was reading the Gotham Gazette, flipping pages and humming.

Oswald spotted this and rolled his eyes "And now I know why none of you can do your-" he stopped as he read the headline and blinked "-jobs."

Oswald snatched the paper from the mans hand and read the article as he looked at the pictures, a smile stretched its way across his face as the goon he had snatched the paper from looked at him worriedly.

"Boss, that is today's paper" he told Oswald. Oswald didn't pay no attention to him and the goon gulped as he looked at the driver "Nothing that interesting. Except for the five O'Clock funny pages."

Oswald chuckled "Oh how wrong you are. This is very interesting."

Honestly, this is just what Oswald had been looking for, and it was right under his pointy nose all along, right on the Gotham Gazette. It was a miracle. A answer to his wondering question. A secret. A bullet straight to this mammal-man's heart.

A weapon.

(Don't Forget to watch Gotham, press Vote and send love to Jim!- A.C.)


	5. The Beginning:(12-05 14:29:41)

"Teenager takes down three Scarecrow thugs while making one take his medicine. Next up on GCTV."

Selina turned around as the window opened and seen Ace climbing through, she raised her eyebrow at the teenager who held up her hands and winced as she shut the window behind her.

"I swear I was on my way here when it happened. I am sorry, I had to find a place to stay."

Selina turned off the TV and stood up from the couch, she crossed her arms and looked down at Ace who was standing by the window, ready to bolt if Selina started throwing hissy fits.

"What on earth were you thinking? I told you if someone starts to fight you, you flee! Even if it is one of Scarecrow's brain-dead goons" Selina said staring at Ace like a mother scolding a child for taking the last cookie from the tray. Ace frowned and turned her head away from Selina.

"I told you, I was on my way here whe-"

Selina put her hands on her hips "Where did you go? I was worried sick! Aggie, this kind of behavior is uncalled for, I told you when I took you in to never disobey me" Selina said and shook her head "I was up all night worr-"

Ace cut in this time "I stayed in a abandoned place on the outskirts of Gotham. I had to hide until the GCPD was through investigating or whatever the crap it is they do. Did you read the newspaper? Ryder made it seem like the Scarecrow idiots were the victim" Ace said and closed her eyes with a shake of her head "Selina, in case you haven't noticed, you are not my mom. My mom is dead. You took me in and treated me like a ...a worker, like you own me" she turned to the window "And its Ace."

Ace shot out the window so fast before Selina could say anything. Selina stood there watched the curtains blow from the breeze coming into the apartment, her eyes showed hurt while she clenched her fist from Ace's words.

"I wasn't trying to be your mom."

Oswald stared at the GCPD where reporters were talking to Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock, the newspaper in Oswald's hand crinkled up as he tightened it into his fist and glared at the man he has hated for ten years. The one person he thought he could trust and ...Gordon had betrayed him. While they had stand side by side to save Gotham, six months afterwards James Gordon through him in Blackgate.

No, hate was not a strong enough word for his feelings towards James Gordon.

He turned around and walked into the alley, his goons following behind him, Oswald looked down at the wrinkled paper in his hands and threw it at a goon by his side "What did you find?" he said when he seen a GCPD officer heading his way, a man on the inside is always needed.

The man hesitated before looking at Oswald "Her name is Aggie Elven. She works for Selina Kyle, Harvey Bullock has tried to get her thrown in Juvie many times, I have overheard him tell Gordon that after she is eighteen he will catch her and lock her up in jail" the man said and took a file out from his jacket, he handed it to Oswald.

Oswald opened the file and seena photo of a teenage girl with orange-brown hair, she was glaring at the camera and was wearing a black leather jacket over a band shirt. He moved the photo and looked at the information.

Aggie Casrael Elven aka ACE.

Age: 17.

DOB: July- Fourth

HEight: 5'3"

Weight: 175

Eyes: Blue.

Hair: Brown

Scars: Removal of Glass on Spine.

Residence: Gotham City

Gender: Female

Wanted For:

Theft, Street-Fighting, Underground Fighting, Driving without a License, Attempting to hit a officer, Possession of Fear Toxin, Possession of Deadly Plants.

Known Associates:

Selina Kyle, Ivy Pepper, Jonathan Crane, Victor Zsasz.

Born to Amelia and Reynold Elven of Gotham City, Ace was took in by Selina Kyle after we tried to put her in a orphanage, apparently Ms. Kyle had a heart towards the street kid. Ace has several scars on her body, Lee Gordon seen them when she looked over Ace the day we found her under her dead parents body after Gotham was saved.

Oswald made a sigh of frustration "Is there anything else besides this? Any Police Reports?" he asked the man, the man took some papers out of his jacket pocket and handed them to Oswald who snatched them from the man's hand.

"It's all I could snatch from the shred pile. Apparently she has Bruce Wayne on her side or something because he always bails her out."

Oswald straightened the wrinkles out of the papers best he could and scanned over them.

His eyes widened when he read it over "Crane injected her with his toxin after she stole some toxin for Selina?" he said in shock as he read it over "Amazing."

The officer shivered just thinking about it "She-she has been lucky a lot of times" he said and looked back over his shoulder before looking back at Oswald "I-I have to get back to work, is there anything else you need Mr. Cobblepot?"

Oswald flipped the paper over to the next page and smiled "No. You won't be going back to work I am afraid" OSwald said and raised his eyes up to look at the officer "One thing I have learned ...never trust a soul that works for the GCPD."

A muscled up goon walked for and grabbed the officer by the throat and Oswald walked away looking down at the pages from the file.

Tuesday, April Fifth.

Ace was caught red handed stealing a diamond from a jewelry store, but we only found that she was a distraction so Selina could steal a black diamond from the storage room. We let her go because she wasn't the real threat and hadn't really tried hard enough to steal the jewel.

Wednesday, April Seventeenth.

Arrested for possession of Fear Toxin. She was carrying it to Selina and had gotten caught, unfortunately the vials had broken when Detective Bullock grabbed her.

Wednesday, April Twenty-seventh.

Ace almost overdosed on Fear Toxin. Lee Gordon got what all she could out of Ace's system, when she awoke she told us Scarecrow had plunged three syringe filled Fear Toxin needles into her chest. Apparently, he didn't like the fact Ace had stolen from him.

Monday April Thirty-first.

Ace was caught with a possession of a deadly plant. She had been to Ivy for a antidote to Fear Toxin, she has looked different than the past couple of times the GCPD has seen her. HEr normal dark brown hair was now a light orangish-brown. Her eyes went from blue to gray. I think Scarecrow's Toxin had scared the poor girl to death. Sometimes I wonder what he puts in the stuff.

Oswald closed the file and handed it to the goon that was near him. He sighed and leaned on his umbrella "No address. I don't even know where Selena lives" he mumbled to himself as he looked back at the officer who laid on the ground in a puddle of blood and rolled his eyes "You could at least try to hide the body, Gumbo."

The brute -Gumbo- grunted and bent down to grab the man by his shoulders, he pulled him to a dumpster and hid him beside it as Oswald close his eyes. Oswald rounded the corner of the alley and a force hit him making him step back and causing the person to fall back onto their butt.

He glared down at the person but ...stopped. An evil smile came to his face as he looked down at the person. Gotcha.

Ace ran away from the GCPD officer that had tried to grab her, she had fell into a mudhole in the park and ran towards the GCPD to try to lose him, she climbed up a fire escape as he chased her. Her muscles ached from the running and the fighting.

She ran to the edge of the building she had climbed up and took a long jump to the building roof beside it, she hurriedly slid down a ladder on the other side and ran down an alley, she looked behind her to see if the officer was following her and was about to slow down when she crashed right into someone.

Apologies slipped from her mouth as she looked up at him with wide eyes, her heart rate increased and she stayed where she was sitting on her butt after running right into him. He looked at her in a suspicious way, and a curious way. It made her panic as he looked down at her where she sat, he was leaning on his umbrella.

The top hat he wore had a purple band on it, the monocle on his eye was placed perfectly as his other eye stared down at her, the purple and black suit fit him perfectly. He was the man she used to hear of stories she knew by heart, told to her by her parents.

This man used to be King of Gotham. This man was The Penguin, aka Oswald Cobblepot.

A man who worked his way from the bottom to the top and never changed. The ten years in Blackgate changed him, his love for this City showed and his hatred for Commissioner Gordon showed as well as he glared at the GCPD building across from the alley.

Finally, he looked back down at her. He made a face and she knew instantly she was a mess.

Covered in mud, her hair a mess and had leaves in it after fighting a couple of officers, and a bleeding lip with a possible black eye. Yeah, she was perfection at the moment, in her mind she probably looked like what she was, a girl on the streets.

Oswald was amazed though by what his men had told him, and what he had read, how did this small seventeen year old girl fight against three of Scarecrow's men. As he looked down at her he nodded and lowered his hand offering it to Ace.

Startled by this, she hesitated before letting him help her up off of the ground. He smiled "I am positive by the look on your face you know who I am" he said in a soft voice and looked her over, muddy clothes and all "But, I don't know your name."

Ace stared at him before crossing her arms and looking at the ground "My name is Ace. It is nice to meet the man who helped save Gotham" she said in a quiet voice and closed her eyes "Gotham is-was a beautiful home."

His lips twisted as he stared at the GCPD again "It was" he agreed with her before looking down at Ace again "I am amazed by you fighting three of Scarecrow's thugs. My men told me about that, and I read what the Jack Ryder put in the paper. Tell me, my dear, how did you fight them so well?"

Ace was surprised he knew about that. Who knew criminals read the newspaper? Ace put her hands inside her leather jacket "Easy. Growing up I had to learn to fight" she admitted to The Penguin and looked up at the sky "People would never leave me alone."

He looked down at her and offered his arm "Walk with me, tell me all about this" he said as he thought about how he could use a thief for a job he thought of "Tell me your story."

She stared at his arm before looking at him suspiciously "My ma told me to never trust strangers," she said as he took her arm in his "Besides, Jack Ryder has the story all wrong."

Oswald smiled "The pictures don't seem wrong. Tell me your side of the story" he said and walked away from the alley "I would like to hear it."

Ace thought for a moment as they walked away from the GCPD and wondered if she could trust him? Just because she trusted Selina didn't mean anything. Apparently, all criminals think she should trust them. All the way from Poison Ivy to Mad Hatter.

She gulped and told him the story. Maybe if she did criminals would quit coming to her and shaking things.

But ...it just got Oswald's attention even more. If she could fight like that ...maybe she would be competition for the man who ruins his plans. Oswald looked her over as they walked and listened to her story, he could change her to where no criminal or GCPD officer would know she was her. She could be his secret weapon.

And Selina, could find someone else to be her pet instead of Ace.

Ace finished her story and Oswald sighed "Reporters. Almost always a Gotham Reporter gets things mixed up" he said and looked back at his goons "It truly is amazing though that you took control over one of Scarecrow's men and made him take the fear Toxin instead of you."

Ace shrugged "Nothing amazing about it, Mr. Cobblepot. Just luck" she said and looked up at him, he stopped on the sidewalk and raised his umbrella up, he opened it as it started to rain down on them.

"Oswald. Or Penguin, if you will" he said and smiled down at her "Let me ask you, where were you heading when you ran into me?"

Ace hesitated before looking at the ground "Away from a officer. He tried to take me in because of the Gotham Gazette. I have to find somewhere to stay tonight. I have a feeling Selina won't want me around for awhile."

Oswald frowned down at her as a thought came into his mind "Why not? Aren't you her number one person?" he asked Ace who rolled her eyes.

"I wish people wouldn't think that. All I am is ...a friend who helped her. We had a small fight."

A twisted, brilliant idea popped into Oswald's head as he looked down at Ace, a smile popped onto his face as he looked down at her. Ace was too busy looking out at the rain to notice this.

Oswald wiped the smile off of his face and replaced it with sympathy as she looked back up at him.

"Oh. I'm so sorry to hear that. If you need a place to stay, CObblepot Manor is always open, my dear" he said and moved his hand up to pat her on the shoulder.

Ace shrugged "Thank you. But, I was going to go see if Ivy would take me in for the night ...if not I might just take you up on that offer, uh-" she said and hesitated before saying "-Oswald."

He smiled "Of course. If you want to, the door is always open" he said and nodded to her as she slipped her hood of her leather jacket up and over her head before running out into the rain.

Oswald stared after the teenager and motioned for a trusted goon to come over to him, Rygie walked under the umbrella with his jacket pulled tight around him "Y-yes b-boss?" he stuttered with chattering teeth. Oswald pursed his lips and watched the rain fall outside his umbrella.

"Go and watch her. If she decides to come to Cobblepot Manor, tell me." The goon didn't move and Oswald looked at him and wrinkled his nose up before yelling "NAAAAAAOOOWWW!"

Rygie took off as fast as a speeding bullet down the road in the rain to keep a watch on Ace.

(Don't Forget to watch Gotham, press Vote and send love to Penguin Goons!- A.C.)


	6. The Beginning:(12-05 14:30:06)

Robinson Park. Inside a abandoned house Ace pushed open a creaky old door and stepped into the room, she looked around her at all of the old plants.

"I-Ivy? It's Ace. I was just wondering if maybe you could let me borrow a old room? You see me and Selina-"

A plant wrapped around Ace's waist and pulled her back to a wall, she was held high up so her feet couldn't touch the ground, Ace sighed "Always new tricks. Honestly, Ivy, I am not a fan of this one."

Ivy descended the stairs to the right and had a plant around her neck, stroking it like it was a pet snake. Ace shivered, she liked Ivy, it was just the plants that creeped her out.

She approached Ace chuckling "Selina finally made you angry, huh?" she asked as she looked at Ace who was getting annoyed by the plants around her waist "You know, if you want her dead, all you have to do is ask."

Ace knew of the dislike between Selina and Ivy. She just didn't care. Honestly, it was none of her business and she like both of the female villains.

"Ivy, I dont want that. I just need a place to stay for the night and then I will be on my way out" Ace said as the plant let her go, she gave a sigh of relief as she dropped to the ground on her feet and looked up at Ivy who was staring down at the young girl.

Ivy rolled her eyes "Aggie, you cannot stay here. If I let one street kid in, every single one out there will be thinking it is okay for them to come into my territory" she said walking up to a chair made out of plants and sat down.

Ace crossed her arms "Aw, come on Ivy. You helped me get rid of Scarecrow's toxin. I am alive because of you, I know you still care" she said and looked at the plant queen.

Ivy just stared "I ...do not care for people of this earth. Please, Aggie, leave before I do something stupid" she said in a loud waning tone. Ace rolled her eyes and looked to a plant. It was the same healing plant she remembered Ivy using to create the potion.

An idea popped into Ace's head as she made her way over to the plant. You never know when you might run into Fear Toxin again, she thought nervously as she looked to Ivy who was too busy with her plants to notice her. Ivy wouldn't notice a snip of it was gone ...would she?

Ace took out her knife and cut a stem of the plant off from it.

Ivy screamed causing Ace to turn around, Ivy looked at her with angry eyes. Oh shit.

"You monster! I let you into my home and saved you that day and this is how you repay me?! You hurt one of my babies!"

It hit Ace's mind then that, that was the cue to run away.

Vines chased her as she ran through the old house, as she pocketed her knife, one sprung up right in front of her and she swung her fist at it, it shrieked and sunk back down into the floorboards as Ace ran for the door.

A vine popped up out of the floods and grabbed her ankle, Ace fell onto her stomach and turned over as the vine started to drag her towards Ivy.

Ace reached into her pocket and drug out a switchblade knife, she cut the vine from her ankle and it shrieked as she got up and ran out the door, she ran away from the abandoned place as Ivy yelled after her.

"Never come back! You demon!"

Ace ran and when she thought she was to where Ivy couldn't find her she stopped and tried to breathe. She closed her eyes and let out a half hearted laugh.

"Close call, Agatha. You really pissed her off this time" she said to herself as she walked down the alley in the light rain and pulled her jacket close around herself, she looked around at the dumpsters and faded signs.

Looks like I have no choice but to go spend the night with The Penguin. Ivy wants my head now and Selina ...I really do not want to go back there. Not after our fight.

She thought for a minute about seeing if Bruce Wayne could let her camp out in one of those extra rooms in Wayne Manor, but thought against it. There is no telling what goes on in that manor at night.

Ace sighed and closed her eyes "Hi-Oh. Hi-Oh. Off to Cobblepot Manor I go" she sang to herself as she climbed a fire escape and started jumping across rooftops.

Rygie peeped out from behind the dumpster and looked up, knowing he needed to get to Penguin before the girl. If he didn't let his boss know in time ...well, it wouldn't be good.

"Three thousand, two hundred, and eighty three. Three thousand, two hundred and eighty four-" the door busted opened and closed interrupting the goon from counting out money into Oswald's hand. Fees for the guns he had sold to thugs in the narrows.

Oswald looked up to see Rygie panting and huffing "What is it?" Oswald asked as the man walked up to him.

"The girl is on her way."

Oswald stood up and put the money that goon had given him in a safe under his desk, he rushed the men out of the study and spoke out at the people in the room.

"Everyone, Code Flipper."

In Oswald's Manor there is only three codes said by Oswald.

Bird) Clean house of unwanted thugs.

Feather) Get out before Oswald kills you or tortures you.

Flipper) Hide the money, guns, and anything to do with criminal activity.

And no goon even wants to her the fourth word ...Umbrella. They shake every time they hear it, but Oswald loves yelling the word. It can mean two things, one is) 'someone betrayed me and must pay' or two) 'hand me my umbrella.'

And knowing Oswald, he has all kinds of umbrellas.

"This girl coming here to stay, will be treated as a guest. We will hide all criminal activity that even this flying mammal will start to wonder. No words will be mentioned in her presence about anything" he said to the goons and crossed his arms "Understood?"

"Yes, Penguin, sir."

Oswald grinned at the echo and clapped his hands "Get to hiding. It won't be long and a teenager will come through that door asking for my help. It needs to be spotless" he said, goons passed him by as he went and sat on his kingly-chair.

He waited for Ace to walk through that door, with his umbrella across his lap, then his plan will be ready for action.

Ace stared up at the Manor. Nerves hit her as she walked up to the door and knocked twice using the golden penguin knocker that was screwed onto the door.

A goon answered and bowed to her as he motioned her through the door "Welcome, Ms. Ace to The Cobblepot Manor" he said loudly, as if it had been rehearsed a million times. Ace slowly walked into the room and was welcomed by about fifty goons, a older woman who stood next to a Kingly-like chair. Basically a throne, it was gold outlined with black leather seating and back rest, in the gold outline was umbrella's carved into it. On the arm rest, little penguin's were carved.

Oswald Cobblepot sat in the throne smiling at her. "Welcome, Ms. Elven. I was hoping you would decide to stay here, out on the streets it is not very safe."

Ace just stared at them all, her nerves shot up and she felt very uncomfortable. She slowly brought her hands behind her back and gave a friendly smile.

"I-uh, thank you?" her voice sounded uncertain. She was unsure what to say, for one she didn't want to anger him, and two ..she didn't know exactly what to say, she was shocked and scared at the same time.

Oswald smiled and stood from his seat "Now. Allow me to give you a tour" he said approaching Ace and taking her arm in his, he looked at his men and said "You all may take your leave."

Everyone moved. Ace was amazed at how quickly everyone scattered from the room, Oswald smiled as he looked down at her and escorted her through the manor. He hummed as he showed her the dining room, the kitchen and escorted her upstairs to his study.

Ace knew Cobblepot Manor was newly rebuilt because of the terror that hit Gotham ten years ago, it was beautiful but she was sure it was beautiful all those years ago as well. Oswald smiled as he pulled the chair out to his desk and motioned for her to sit behind it.

Ace slowly sat down in the chair looking up at him, he was grinning "Comfortable, my dear?" he asked as she looked around the room at painted portraits of Penguins, one of Oswald that sat over the corner fireplace. But, what really caught her eye was two portraits painted, one of a man and one of a woman, They hung on the wall to the right in Gold frames.

She cocked her head to the side "Yeah. I'm just ...who are they?" she asked pointing to the portraits, he turned and looked at them before smiling as he walked closer to them.

"Oh. This is my mother: Gertrude Kapelput. And my father Elijah Van Dahl" he said in awe as he looked up at the portraits, he turned to Ace and smiled "What do you think? Do I look like them?"

Ace took a good look at Oswald and looked at the portraits, she could honestly see some resemblance between him and his parents. It made her smile "Yeah. You honestly do. Did you have any siblings?" she asked, curiosity always hit Ace when it came to family.

OSwald cleared his throat "I had two step-siblings that were my father's wife's children. Sadly they died" he lied to Ace as the memory flashed into his mind about after his father's death, he shook his head at the thought of his step-mother eating her own children and smiled at Ace.

"Oh. I'm sorry."

Ace felt guilty for asking the question, Oswald waddled over and patted her on the shoulder. He left his hand there as he wondered what the teenager was thinking about, he blinked his eyes and shook his head as a goon popped his head in and motioned for Oswald.

Oswald sighed and raised his hands up "What can I say? I am a wanted man" he chuckled and left the room, closing the door behind him, as the door closed Ace put her legs up on top of the desk that belonged to Oswald Cobblepot. She smiled and settled back into the huge rolling chair, she snooped through the desk to see what she could find on The Penguin himself.

Surely, Oswald Cobblepot had more secrets than Selina Kyle. The thought of her mentor and friend made her sad, she wondered what Selina was doing at the moment. Was she out thieving? Was she with Bruce? ...Was she happy there was no twerp in her apartment she had to look after?

Ace spotted a monocle on the desk and picked it up, she set it on her eye and suddenly everything looked huge. She took it off and blinked a bit to get her eyesight to straighten out.

The door handle turned and Ace put it in her jacket pocket, she zipped it up and put her hands behind her head acting normal, hopefully Penguin-man wouldn't notice the monocle gone off of his desk. Oswald walked in and closed the door behind him, he inhaled deeply and sighed from what the goon had told him.

"Such fools."

Ace raised a eyebrow "Are you alright, Mr. Cobblepot?" she asked him, he closed his eyes and formed a smile as he turned to her.

"Never better. I was just thinking that I should show you to your room for the night" he said and offered his arm, Ace took it and smiled as she got up out of the chair and he escorted her to her room.

He pushed open a dark wooden door, and her eyes widened when she saw a four poster bed, a dresser with mirror, a closet in the corner. The floors were wood and the walls were a lavender, she had the perfect view of the backyard.

Ace walked to the window and looked out at the yard with a smile, she turned around and took the room in, Oswald raised a eyebrow "So? What do you think? Do you like it?" he asked her, she smiled and threw her hands up.

"Its beautiful. Honestly, the only thing I have ever gotten to sleep on that soft was Selina's hard couch" she admitted and sat on the bed, she smiled and touched the soft black comforter, it felt nice between her fingers. Ace looked up at Oswald "I promise not to wreck anything. I swear I will be gone by morning."

He waved a hand at her "Don't worry yourself. Stay as long as you need, I won't be ...angry, I won't be a bad host" he said with a laugh and motion to the closet with his umbrella "If you need pajamas, Olga put some things in the closet that she found in the attic. Take care and goodnight."

Ace smiled as the door closed and she fell back onto the bed, she closed her eyes and let out a excited shriek as she hugged a pillow, she laughed "I have never had a bed before ...I can't even remember the one I had as a kid" she said to herself in excitement and opened her eyes.

This really makes me happy. For once.

Oswald listened through the door and smiled when he heard her talk, he raised up and walked downstairs. He saw the goon who had came to him earlier near two more who were holding down a couple of Crane's men, Oswald looked down at them and the smile left his face.

"Looking to put fear into Ms. Elven?" he tsked them and went to his kingly chair, he sat down and laid his umbrella across his legs, Olga stood beside him holding a plate of finger foods, Oswald smiled and grabbed a small sandwich, ham and cheese.

He held the food to his mouth and looked down at the men, a smile came to his face knowing his men would enjoy this as much as he.

"Bird" he said simply and put the sandwich in his mouth, he grinned as he watched the show start in front of him.

Selina stood in her apartment rubbing her head as she looked out at the city in worriment. Ace could be anywhere. All because of their small fight, she could be out there in trouble, or even worse. She could be tortured by Scarcrow or even Jeremiah!

Selina put her clawed gloved hands to her head "And it is all my fault!" she whispered harshly to herself. She put a hand to her mouth, I shouldn't have acted like a mother. I am supposed to be her friend, and here I am acting ...

She groaned "God, I acted like Alfred used to when Bruce was younger" she scolded herself before grabbing her cat eared mask and pulling it over her head.

Selina ran from rooftop to rooftop to find the kid, she was worrying herself. She stopped on top of Paulie's Diner and put a clawed finger to her chin, where does Ace usually go? I could try Victor Zsasz but, he would just wind up annoying me. Jervis got caught by GCPD last week so she wouldn't run off there.

Where else? Selina thought impatiently, she spotted a tree beside the Pharmacy in front of her and smiled as soon as she saw a leaf fall from it.

"Ivy."

Selina made her way to Robinson Park Gardens, she spotted a door to an abandoned house that had been knocked down and she took a breathe before going inside, she walked in becoming aware of all the moving plants.

"Ivy? You here? I really need to speak with you. By any chance has-"

She was stopped when a vine wrapped around her neck and her legs and hoisted her up, she clutched to the one around her neck to try to loosen it as Ivy walked out from behind the tree growing in the main room.

Selina gasped for air and Ivy crossed her arms "The worst decision ever made by you, Selina" she said and reached out to the tree, a vine wrapped around her arm as she walked towards Selina.

"I just need to ask something" Selina gasped between breaths, Ivy rolled her eyes at her old friend.

"About Ace? Your little kitten of terror hurt one of my babies" she snapped and petted the vine around her arm "When I find her, she will know pain."

Selina rolled her eyes "Can you please ...loosen just a bit" she gasped out making Ivy roll her eyes and snap her fingers.

Selina fell to the ground as the vines unwrapped away from her, she stood up and dusted off her suit.

"She was here?" Selina asked and rolled her eyes "I figured it. You were always one of her favorites" she walked towards a table and saw a stem missing off of the plant "Is this it?"

Ivy gave a nod "She hurt her. It is the exact same flower I used to cure her of Crane's vile toxin" she told Selina and comforted the plant by stroking it, it sprung to life before Selina's eyes turning into a beautiful blue and yellow flower.

Selina frowned "That's why she wanted it. Crane's boys tried to toxin her the other day. She was scared" she told Ivy and turned around "Any idea where she went?"

Ivy frowned "They tried to? What do you mean?" She asked.

Selina rolled her eyes "I forgot you don't read newspapers filled with human news anymore," she said in an annoyed tone "She was almost injected with fear toxin the other day. She escaped by beating up the men and Jack Ryder made it seem like she was the evil one. He twisted her story."

Ivy petted her vine "Maybe I shouldn't have been so rough then. And no I don't know where she went but, I seen one of Penguin's goons lurking outside following her. Does that help?"

Selina nodded "Possibly."

"Then leave" Ivy demanded as she walked back towards the tree "And tell Ace if she ever harms another plant, I will bury her under the dirt she walks on."

Selina left quickly after and put a hand to her chin in thought, what is Penguin up to? Why was one of his men following her? A lot of questions bothered Selina as she walked through Gotham.

But, she was mainly worried about Ace.

(Don't Forget to watch Gotham, press Vote and send love to Ivy!- A.C.)


	7. The Beginning:(12-05 14:30:20)

"Mr. Crane?!" She called out as she walked down into the abandoned basement, she frowned "Its me, Ace. I am here to help you, you did send for me, right?"

She felt nauseated and uncertain as she descended lower into the basement "Scarecrow?" she whispered, she heard something behind her and she turned only to be splashed in the face with the fear toxin. She yelped and wiped it off but it was too late, she grabbed hold of the table near her and watched as Jonathan Crane switched into two people, he laughed as fire took ahold of him.

"What is it, little girl? Scared?" he asked the sixteen year old, her heart raced as she walked around the table trying to get away from him.

"Mr Crane! What- why-"

He grabbed ahold of her arm and injected the syringes on his hand into her arm making her yell, she jerked away from him and held her arm as she tried to find the stairs.

"There is no Crane ... only Scarecrow!"

She ran up the stairs and almost fell as the walls closed in around her and she felt the back of her neck burning, she busted down the door to the hideout and ran through Gotham. Gotham was on fire, she was screaming as she ran past the people-like zombies that were reaching out to grab her, she pulled away and ran through Gotham.

Fire burned her as she made her way through Gotham, she tripped over a park bench and the fire caught her setting her on fire "Agh! Someone please help me!" she cried as she wrestled with herself trying to get the fire put out.

"Ace? Agatha" a woman's voice said and Ace's heart race as she felt like she was being held down "I got you."

Ace's body jerked as fire consumed her "No!" she screamed as darkness took her over and the fire grew higher.

Ace's eyes flashed open and she raised up to realize where she was. She was in Cobblepot Manor, she was safe-ish. She hung her feet off the side of the bed and put her head in her hands.

A knock sounded on the door twice and it opened revealing the woman she had seen yesterday, she gave a small smile before it turned into a frown "Breakfast" she said, her voice had a hint of something ..Ace frowned as the woman sat a tray on the bed.

A smile came to Ace's face.

A pancake with bacon on it, it was made into a face on the pancake which made Ace smile, she looked up at her "Thank you, Ms-?"

"Olga."

She left and closed the door behind her to give the girl some privacy. Ace raised her eyebrows and turned to eat her food.

Ace ate and stood up, the pajama's she wore were just a black tank top and white pajama bottoms that were one size too big, she opened the closet and pushed clothes to the side as she looked through them, she picked up a pair of dark blue jeans that had holes in the legs and a red tank top. Where the clothes came from she had no idea, maybe the clothes were donated? Or maybe Oswald Cobblepot liked how the clothes looked.

She stopped looking through clothes and froze from the horrid thought, she shivered and picked out a white jean jacket. The Thought of Oswald trying to wear women's clothes made her uncomfortable ...but, then again, she did listen to glam metal where dudes dressed like women, and it doesn't make her uncomfortable.

Olga walked into the room and gathered the tray, Ace hesitated before asking "Where is a bathroom?"

The woman towered over the short teenager, she raised a eyebrow as she looked down at the girl. The girl looked like she could be broken in half by these criminal, she must have a lot of courage. Olga gave a smile to her and said simply "Follow me."

They left the room and headed towards a master bedroom, Olga flipped on the light and Ace's mouth fell open.

The four poster bed was dark wood with umbrellas engraved into it and sat near the huge window overlooking the front entrance, a dresser sat in the corner with pictures of his parents on the mirror, and small things sat on it. Two doors were open revealing a huge closet. A ceiling fan on the ceiling swung around and around, when she looked at the chain it had a penguin on it.

She was in The Penguin's lair.

Her heart raced as Olga opened two doors and motioned for the teen to follow her, she walked in to see a bathtub, walk-in shower, toilet, and mirror over the sink. A shelf held hair care supplies, and other toiletries.

Ace gulped "Uh, are you sure this is okay? With, Mr. Cobblepot, I mean" she stuttered.

Olga nodded "It should be. The other two bathrooms are below. Oswald's men uses them and trust me, young girl, when I say those are terrible" she told her with a smile and told her where everything was at, Ace picked up a lavender soap and sniffed it before turning to Olga with a smile.

"Thank you. For helping me."

Olga felt a wave of sadness at the young girls face, she looked happy but her eyes were filled with unhappiness. Olga thought back to Mr. Cobblepot ten years ago when every single one of his people had abandoned him, even the dog, she was the only one that had stayed.

Olga smiled "No problem" she said and closed the door to give the girl some privacy, Olga walked to the door knowing nobody ever came into Oswald's room and shut it behind her.

Ace sighed and threw the clothes down onto the floor and hung a towel up on the bar beside the shower, she felt uneasy about taking a shower in this bathroom. She stood there for a moment debating then finally chose the shower, at least it would only be her feet touching anything.

She hated when she had to take a shower at Selina's -even if she had known her a long time- much less a total strangers.

"-she survived Crane's toxin somehow. We just don't know what the end result will be. Mrs. Gordon said she was highly surprised that overdose didn't kill her" Oswald said to himself as he read the file on Ace, he had the door shut to his study to keep out the riff raff of his goons who were playing poker downstairs. Oswald looked up from the file and grabbed his glass of wine.

So, Ms. Elven. All I have been able to figure out is your name, a little bit of your history and that you survived Scarecrow's fear toxin, he thought sitting down his glass. He looked at a prescription that Lee Gordon had given Ace during that time, Jim must of kept on her file. It was for a depression pill. He leaned back and read about it before closing the file and putting it in his desk drawer.

Oswald stood up from his desk and walked towards the door, he opened it and walked out hearing his men chattering, he walked by the stairs and towards his room. His hand turned the door knob when someone yelled after him, he turned to see Olga "Yes?" he demanded.

She closed the door that he had opened a inch "Ms. Ace is in there. I told her she could shower" Olga told him. Oswald's eyes widened as she told him.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?! Do you realize what I could have walked in-" he stopped mid sentence not even wanting to finish what he was about to say.

He sighed and looked up at her "Next time tell me before she goes in, that way I don't walk into my room and see ...you know what I am trying to say!" he shouted and glanced around "Also ...lock the door. I don't want to kill one of my henchmen, again."

He walked off leaving a confused Olga behind. He sighed as he stood at the top of the stairs and looked down at the henchmen below him, they all stopped and looked up at their leader who was trying to figure out how to say something politely and not sound like a idiot.

"Do any of you know where the extra bathrooms I had built here are?" he said, they all looked at each other and Oswald tapped his foot impatiently "A clean one?"

A goon yelled up to him "Gotta take a leak, eh boss?"

Oswald rolled his eyes "Yes ...I have to ..." he struggled to say it "...take a leak."

Ace got dressed and dried her hair using the hair dryer, why Oswald needed a hair dryer she didn't know. The man had short hair that would dry quicker than her hair was getting.

She huffed and shut it off while smoothing out her messy hair, she frowned into the mirror looking at her orange brown hair. Maybe Selina was right on that, it might be time for a change, she shrugged and grabbed what she had worn the night before and put them in the hamper.

Ace left the room and went into Oswald's bedroom, she walked towards his dresser and looked real good at the pictures of his parents. She smiled as she looked at them and a pain hit her as she wished she had pictures of her parents.

A knock came on the door "Ace?" she turned as the door opened and saw Oswald. He had a hand over his eyes and was using his umbrella to tap the floor so he could hear where to walk "Are you ...uh, decent?"

She busted out laughing and put a hand to her mouth "Yeah. Uh, you can uncover your eyes" she said putting her hands on her hips, he did as told and gave a small smile when he saw her "I was just admiring your pictures."

He nodded as he walked towards her "Ahh, yes" he said and ran his pointer finger across the one of his mother "My mother was a wonderful woman. I loved her very dearly" he saw her frown at the mention of the word 'mother' and spoke again "What is your mother like?"

She said the word he expected "Dead" but, he didn't think it would make him frown. Ace sighed and looked out the window "But, she was wonderful from what little I remember."

He didn't waste time in changing the subject, he glanced her over and smiled "I am happy the clothes Olga found has fit you." She looked down at herself and shrugged.

"I have been wanting to change my look honestly. I wear the same old things everyday and a lot of it is back at Selina's."

Oswald smiled "Then let us find you some new things" he told her, she raised a eyebrow at him and he nodded "I would be ...happy to get you some new clothes, or anything you may want" he turned around and headed towards the door "It would be my pleasure."

Ace followed after him "Honestly? Like, that would be awesome" she said, he smiled down at her "I would repay you back somehow. Just think of a way and I would do it."

He stopped in front of her and turned his head back to her a little "I can think of a way and I will let you know." He started walking again and slowly smiled a wicked smile.

"When will we be going?"

"Whenever you wish to go" Oswald told her, she grinned and ran past him, he gave a amused look "I guess that means you want to go now?"

"Of course, get it over with. I hate being around a lot of people."

Never had Oswald Cobblepot related to someone so much in his life...

Gotham was full of clothing shops, jewelry stores, shoe stores and even hairdressers. He had been to a lot of them for men's clothing and to get his hair fixed. But, never had he ever have to wait on a woman to choose out things.

He was getting impatient. Quick.

Standing outside a beauty store he rolled his eyes and tapped his foot.

How long can one teenage girl take? He wondered as the door opened and Ace stepped out followed by a henchman who looked horrified by all of the woman magazines and photos he had seen, clearly he wasn't prepared to see anything like that.

Ace stood there in a black leather vest over a gray shirt, dark jeans tucked into black leather boots with buckles that came over her ankles, newly dyed brown hair with pink and green stripe on each side of her face.

She looked happy.

Seeing her face, Oswald instantly smiled and held his arm out, the girl took his arm in hers and they walked on. "How do you feel? Do you like it?" Oswald asked as they passed an ice cream stand.

"I love it. I have never felt this good about myself" she said and smiled at him as they walked down the sidewalk "I feel ten times better than I did an hour or two ago."

This was his chance. He smiled, "That is good" he chuckled and turned serious "While you were shopping, I came up with an idea. For you to repay me" he told her which made her look up at him curiously.

"Really? How? I will do just about anything, Mr. Cobblepot."

"Oswald" he corrected.

A young man walked by and eyed Ace, Oswald and Ace didn't notice the young man as he reached forward and tried to grab Ace's shoulder with a smooth smile.

In one swift movement, Oswald caught the man's hand, the man turned and looked wide eyed at The Penguin who was looking at him in hatred "If you so much as lay a hand on that teenage girl, I will show you what true pain feels like" he warned.

The young man stood there dumb founded, then mumbled a apology as he took off running. They both stared after him until he ran out of sight, a smile appeared on The Penguin's lips as he watched.

Apparently, he still did scare some of the citizens of Gotham.

Ace turned and looked at him amused by what she had just seen "So, Oswald" she started making him look at her "What is your idea?"

He leaned on his umbrella "Well, you want to learn under criminals" he said, she nodded "but, you have yet to learn under some of us. I want you to learn under me, but you can also give me your opinion on some things if you would like, you see I need a helper in a idea" Ace watched him as he talked and he sighed "I have this problem. This vigilante is keeping me from making important deals. I need a new idea to keep him at bay while I make my deals."

Ace stared at him. Learn under a Gotham Legend. Work with a Gotham Legend? It's insane. Its suicide. It's madness. Bullock would ship me off in a heartbeat.

Even though she thought it. Even though she knew better, Ace smiled a wicked smile "I would love to help you, Oswald" she said simply and put her arm back through his "I would love to learn."

Besides, where else could she go?

The window slid open to Wayne Manor making Bruce rise up from his chair, Selina pulled her body through the window and sighed "It's only me, Bruce. Not some psycho you have sent to Arkham" she told him as she closed the window and walked up to him.

"Are you sure you are not psycho?" He teased making her roll her eyes "Why are you here Selina? Is something wrong?"

Selina crossed her arms and looked down at the ground "I don't know, I can't find Ace anywhere. I have looked all over Gotham. It's scaring me" she admitted, Bruce walked around the desk and towards her.

"Maybe Bullock caught her again?"

Selina shook her head "No. I went to Ivy. She said one of Penguin's goons was following Ace around" she told Bruce and looked up at him "What would Penguin want with a street kid?"

"I dont know. But, I can look for her if you want me to?"

"No she would probably just get angry" Selina said and walked towards the window to look out at the moon "We had a fight. We never fight. I was worried because of the news, did you know she fought three of Scarecrows henchmen and lived? She even shoved the fear toxin into one and made him go insane. They were going to kill her."

"I read the Gotham Gazette" he said and crossed his arms with narrowed eyes "Jack ryder is trying to make a name for himself. But, he is going at it the wrong way by making it look like a seventeen year old girl is a criminal."

Selina turned towards him "Can we not name call here?" She asked and rolled her eyes making Bruce smile "I don't know where she is, but I hope she knows she can come back to me and talk" she looked towards Bruce "And as for Jack Ryder ...he needs a firm talking to."

Bruce smiled "Don't worry, Selina. It is already covered."

"Hmm. Mmm. Nope, that won't do."

Papers flew all around the room, bodies hung up around like puppets with a smile carved onto their face, laughing filled the empty halls as the man searched for what he was wanting.

He finally found it. A newspaper article, he looked it over and chuckled as he read "Oh my. What an excellent little criminal" he hummed and looked over the few images that were on the newspaper, he cocked his head to the side "What an insane little child."

A flashlight shined over his back, his shadow showing on the wall "Hey! You shouldn't be here, it is past open hours" a guard said and moved towards the man.

A gun flashed out of nowhere and he shot the guard, he fell to the ground making the man chuckle "You should have stayed quiet" he mumbled before bending down and wiping blood from the man's bullet wound and putting it on the guards face to form a smile "You should smile more. Makes you live a longer life."

Jeremiah Valeska smiled "But, you didn't know that so you frowned" he said in disappointment "Such a waste."

He looked down at the newspaper "So, you are the girl the crime world has been talking so much about?" he said to the newspaper, he shook his head "You don't look like much. But, we will see what you can do."

J stopped, he looked around at the mess around him from the bodies to the blood and smiled.

"HaHaHa hAhA HAAA!"

(Looks like Agatha is becoming known in the crime world of Gotham, Don't Forget to watch Gotham, Press Vote and send love to Penguin) -A.C.


	8. The Beginning:(12-05 14:30:33)

Ace sat on the bed looking right into the closet, her new clothes hung on hangers while new boots lined the closet floor. The dresser now held a jewelry box full of bracelets, necklaces and rings, perfumes lined the bottom of the mirror, and dresser held new clothing items.

Soap, hair care, and shampoo had been put into Oswald's bathroom since she was allowed to use it, just to let him know when she would be using it so he wouldn't walk in on anything.

Ace crossed her arms and looked closely at the mirror, her new hair fit her better than the old had. She felt more alive and happy, maybe she has done the right thing by making a change.

Grabbing her pocket knife, she stuck it in her pocket before going out the door and towards Oswald's study, she knocked before entering and smiled as she entered. Oswald sat in his desk chair looking at the wall behind him, he turned his head around as she closed her door behind her.

"Ah, there is my Penguin Apprentice" Oswald said and chuckled as he looked towards the door, a map was set up on the wall with thumbtacks, he had been looking at the map to figure out his next plan.

"Wak-Wak!" she joked.

Oswald made a face before shaking his head "Never do that again, please" he whispered before standing up and looking at the map of Gotham, she flopped down into the chair in front of his desk and looked at the map with him.

"What are the red thumb tacks for?" she asked curiously.

Oswald pressed a red thumbtack into the Gotham docks "Those are where I have yet to trick the mammal-man" he said and leaned back into his chair, he turned to look at Agatha "I don't know how to trick him. Every time I set up ideas he is always there."

Agatha cocked her head to the side "Where are the red ones? I'm curious.." She trailed off and stood up to walk to the map.

Oswald watched the young girl as he put a new cigarette into his cigarette holder and leaned back into his chair taking a puff. Ace let her eyes roam the map of Gotham, she noticed a few things.

Gotham Docks, Gotham Waterfront, Gotham WaterTower, Gotham Sushi Restaurant, Gotham Aquarium.

A small laugh rose and she covered her mouth with her hand "Um, can I?" she asked, gesturing to the board. Oswald nodded and blew smoke from his mouth as she grabbed a black pen from the desk and walked to the board "Penguin, take a look."

She made circles around the places that connected "Docks.. Waterfront.. WaterTower.. Sushi.. Aqarium" she said as she circled and turned back to him, Oswald watched her with a confused expression "You honestly do not get it?"

"What?"

A smile formed on her lips "Penguin, you are using everything that ...well, it connects to you" she explained as she pointed to each location "Everywhere you have gone for these deals connects with one thing. Water. Or, uh, Fish" she set the pen down as he watched her "Get what I am saying?"

Oswald stood up and looked at the map "Yes, yes. I see" he mumbled as he stared at it then turned to look at her "Is that how he always knows where I am?"

She nodded "I think so. Maybe if you switched it up a little, you just might be able to outwit him. Send some of your men to a place you normally might go for a deal and originally be somewhere else. Trick him."

A twisted smile came to Oswald's face "I like it" he said and took a puff from his cigarette holder, he blew out smoke and it hit Ace in the face causing her to cough and move her hand in front of her face to shoo it away "You my dear, you are my ...my Ace-Up-The-Sleeve, so to say. You are my secret, my trick, my secret weapon."

She crossed her arms "I'm happy I can be of some help," she said and went back to the chair, she sat down and leaned back into the chair "Being honest here, I feel like ..I used to back when Selina actually wanted my help."

Oswald leaned on his desk "If I may" he said causing her to look up at him "It sounds like she hasn't ..needed your help in quite awhile."

Ace looked up at him "Is it that obvious?" she asked before shaking her head "Ever since the accident with Scarecrow ...I don't know what happened. She quit sending me out on my own missions and put me back into what we called 'the little league' where it is less than what I grew used to."

Oswald cocked his head to the side as he looked at her in thought, If only there was more on that incident with Scarecrow in the file. I need to get that story out of her, he thought to himself before looking at her in sadness.

"Maybe Selina got scared? Trust me when I say I am not taking up for her, but whatever happened must have spooked her."

Ace rolled her eyes and stood up "Yeah right. Ivy was the one that put more work into saving my life" she said before throwing a smile at Oswald "Maybe now I can get back to causing chaos with ...a new mentor."

Oswald nodded before crossing his arms "Of course. What do you say we come up with a plan?" Oswald said smoothly before turning back to the map on the wall.

Ace went and stood beside him, ready to take the next step in the criminal plan.

Even though she was worried about her friend, Selina couldn't let it get in the way of her criminal acts, could she?

She pushed open a window and put her feet onto the ground inside. Luckily, she had already been in the museum this morning for a tour and lifted open a window a bit so she could sneak in later.

Slowly and cat-like, Selina walked down the stairs and flung herself over the railing onto the second floor, she landed on all fours before slowly standing up and walking to peep around the corner.

A sleeping guard sat in his chair with his feet up on the desk, his face was covered by a newspaper and he was snoring very loudly.

Selina resisted the urge to roll her eyes before walking out from her corner cover and slowly stepping towards the guard and the desk, she snuck up on the guard and slowly silently typed onto the computer, she focused on her work.

The security cameras turned off one by one and she smiled as she focused her eyes on the correct camera in front of her target, she hit a button and the security turned off.

Three guards, one cat. Lets see who makes it out alive, Selina thought with a smirk.

She walked away from the desk area and made her way upstairs, the door leading onto the fourth floor was locked, she bent down to a vent beside the door and slowly peeled the vent off before sliding into it and crawling through it.

She reached the vent inside the room and saw three guards. One guarding the case, one guarding the door and the last one was right near her.

"Hey, did ya see the game last night?" one asked as he looked at his gun "Those Foxes really beat those Bears."

"Nah, I watched the dance channel. Sadly, Ringo and Daisy were out voted for their wonderful salsa dance" said the guard near the door, Selina slowly slid away the vent and looked out at the guard near her.

The one near the case made a face at the other one "What the hell are you on?" he said just as Selina pounced out of the vent and tackled the guard nearest to her startling the other two guards.

She flung her arms out and her claws extended out on her gloves as the one guarding the case rushed at her, she grabbed the gun from his hand and flying it across the room, she grabbed him by the neck and bashed his head into the wall.

She ran and sliced the other man across the face with her claws, he held a hand to his face, a whip flashed from Selina's hand wrapping around his hand and making him lose the grip he had on his gun, it felt from his hand and she flashed the whip at his face blinding him for a moment.

Selina punched him in the face back to back and finally got her arm around his neck choking him out, she let him fall to the floor as she heard a click behind her, she turned to see the guard she had bashed against the wall holding his gun.

She moved as he fired the gun, she didn't lose a second as she back flipped out of the way and turned her body just right to kick I'm in the head. He fell back and she put her boot on his neck, making it to where he would pass out from lack of oxygen.

She smirked as she raised her foot up and moved towards the center of the room "Mm, hello beautiful," she said as she grabbed a black diamond in the shape of a beetle that hung on a silver chain, she knew someone on the Northside of Gotham that would pay her big time for this.

She pocketed the diamond and crawled back through the vent, she could hear running as the second security guard that had been asleep ran past the vent and unlocked the door to the fourth floor, as he disappeared around the corner Selina crawled out of the vent and ran through the halls of the museum.

She crawled out of the window she had came through earlier and dropped down to the ground underneath her before running away and into the nearest alley where she climbed up a fire escape and stood on a roof, she walked across the roof and sighed.

"It was so much easier when I had help," she said and stretched her arms before looking out over Gotham.

"It was Scarecrow's fear toxin. I left her at the GCPD. Of course I helped as much as I could but, it wasn't much."

Selina crossed her arms as she looked at Ivy "Agatha needed more help than a plant, Ivy. Scarecrow is really out to get her" she said as she walked across the room towards the door "If anything your miracle plant made it worse."

Ivy stared at Selina in disbelief "I tried my hardest. If you don't like that I helped your little hench-woman, get out" she said sternly, Selina rolled her eyes and opened the door.

"I thank you for helping her, Ivy."

Ivy narrowed her eyes "I didn't do it for you."

Selina frowned as she looked out at Gotham, she shook her head and ran across the roof before taking a leap and landing on the next roof over.

Bruce stood on a gargoyle that was attached to the clock tower, he looked out near the apartment buildings to see Jack Ryder walking down the sidewalk he hailed a taxi and climbed inside, Bruce raised out his arms and flew down towards the small balcony that connected to Jack Ryder's apartment.

He opened the balcony door easily after picking the lock and entered, Bruce shut it behind him and walked towards Jack Ryder's desk, he moved Gotham Chronicle papers and seen the one on Ace. Bruce shook his head and opened Jack Ryder's laptop.

"Alfred, I need to hack into Jack Ryder's laptop" he spoke, the earpiece in his ear came on and Alfred spoke into Bruce's ear.

"Have you tried the words Chronicle or Journalist yet?"

Bruce smirked "Haven't thought of it yet," he said as he plugged a Bat shaped USB port into the laptop. He could hear Alfred typing in his ear.

"Tell me again what you are looking for exactly?"

Bruce sat down into the rolling chair as the laptop home screen came on "Anything about Ace ..or me" he said as he looked through files. Bruce was suspicious of Jack Ryder way before that day at the G.C.P.D, Bruce had been seeing someone every time he takes down a criminal and gives them to James Gordon.

"I found something on Ms. Ace" Alfred said into Bruce's earpiece "Apparently, Mr. Ryder had rewritten the article for the Gotham Chronicle." A file opened on the laptop screen, Bruce's eyes scrolled over the screen and he frowned.

'Teenager takes down Scarecrow goons after one attempt to inject fear toxin into her. In defense the teenager fought the three men and pressed the shot of fear toxin into his neck. Police found him wiggling and screaming after the teenager fled the scene.'

Below that it had been rewritten.

'Scarecrow goons taken down by female teenager. She knocked one in the head and took the toxin from his hand, and then proceeded to inject another one with the fear toxin, the last one screamed in terror as she bashed his head against the brick wall. I watched as she walked away from the scene with a smile on her face.'

Bruce frowned "Why are you attacking a teenager?" he whispered and exited the file, he opened another file to see pictures of himself flying through Gotham and taking down thugs.

"All is copied sir."

Bruce took the USB out and put it in his utility belt, he erased the pictures of himself and of Agatha, hopefully Ryder would think he accidentally lost them.

"Should I continue to look through these files?"

Bruce walked out onto the balcony and looked up at the roofs in front of him "Yes. Search for anything connecting Bruce Wayne to the man creature" he said and took out his grapple gun from his belt "And search for anything on Ace. Selina would want to know."

He grappled up to the building in front of him and let it jerk him up into the sky to take flight.

Oswald smiled as he looked down at his little apprentice that stood beside him, never had he felt so ...proud, not only were they creating a plan to take down the man creature, but he was teaching someone the villainous ways.

It made him smile a true smile.

"I must admit, this plan might actually work" he said as he took a puff from his cigarette holder "I am very proud and very amazed."

Ace turned and looked at Oswald "I uh, I am just full of ideas" she said uncomfortable at the words he had just said "Selina ...she never liked my ideas."

"Selina is a fool," he told the young girl and gestured to the map "I am amazed a teenager could actually come up with something this brilliant" he blew smoke from his mouth and smiled down at her "Tricking the mammal-man is a great idea. We will have a few of my men at Gotham boating, one will dress as me. And while he follows them we will actually be at the art museum" he said and sat down in his desk chair.

Ace moved hair behind her right ear and crossed her arms "Why do you need to go to the art museum? What is there?"

Oswald smiled "There are a few things I need to spice up my manor" he said and laid his arms onto the arm rest as he looked at his Penguin apprentice "Why are you asking?"

Ace looked at the map and seen the number 1.22/5.12 in the corner. She cocked her head as she looked at it, wonder what that means. She walked away from the map "Just curious," she said and looked at the portraits around the room "I heard that you used to own a club."

Oswald frowned "I did. Iceberg Lounge. It was a hit for maybe a month then I was ...I was framed for a murder" he said and shook his head as he thought back on his little friend he had had then. Martin.

"Hm. I used to wonder what it was like" she said in thought, she didn't bother to ask him about why he was framed or who it was. She figured it was a sad moment in his life.

Oswald smiled "It was alright. Honestly, it wasn't what I had dreamed of" he said and leaned forward in his chair taking another puff of his cigarette "I wanted bigger, better. I wanted a lair" smoke appeared from his mouth as he talked.

Ace turned towards him "Why don't you reopen it? Open your dream Iceburg Lounge" she said and looked at the portrait of him that hung over the fire place "I think it would be a good idea."

Oswald looked off out his window, maybe he should one day. But, for now there is a certain thing in his way that he would like to get rid of. He looked down at his desk drawer where the file on Ace was and looked up at her.

"Do you have any experience with shooting a gun?"

She just stared at him before saying "Uh, no?"

Oswald closed his eyes, well, maybe she could be of some use during the plan. But, how? He watched her as she looked over his study, he sighed lowly and leaned back into his chair.


	9. The Beginning:(12-05 14:30:50)

"Master Bruce, there is a call for ...your other self."

Bruce looked up to the sky out of his window and seen the light shining, he pressed the button and the book case moved revealing the entrance to his cave, he walked through the hidden entrance as the bookcase closed behind him. He walked down into the cave and seen his suit on display near the huge computer. Alfred stood there looking at it.

"G.C.P.D radio said there was a question mark painted onto an apartment door. A couple of men were outside and they were all wearing green" Alfred said as he looked at Bruce.

Bruce took off his jacket and let it land on the chair beside him "Anything else?"

"Two officers down. One made it back to G.C.P.D alive but unwell."

Bruce frowned "Nygma isn't playing around. I have to get to Gordon" he said grabbing his suit and walking to change into it quickly.

Changed and ready, Bruce flew through Gotham and landed on top of the G.C.P.D building. Harvey Bullock jumped when he turned to see him "Holy- please stop doing that!" he said, Jim rolled his eyes at Harvey.

"Thanks for coming" Jim said and looked up at the light "I suppose you already know what is going on? You usually do."

Bruce gave a smirk "I know Nygma is up to something. Don't worry, I will get to the bottom of it" he said as walked to the edge of the G.C.P.D building.

"Thanks. You know it seems wrong that the Gotham Gazette keeps calling you creature and mammal man, they need something new."

He turned and looked back at Jim "Then tell them to call me, the Dark Knight" he said in a deep voice and jumped down off of the building only to come up wings extended and fly away.

Harvey turned to Jim and raised an eyebrow "Do you think if he brought in Ace, you might actually put her in Blackgate? Or even Arkham?" he asked. Jim gave Harvey a look and shook his head before walking away. Harvey threw his hands up "Every time I bring her in you set her free. She belongs in Juvie."

"And you belong in a AA group. But, I let you roam Gotham don't I?" Jim joked as he opened the door and descended steps down into G.C.P.D.

Harvey gave a offended look "Hey I ...never mind. I got nothing" he said, Jim only laughed.

"Are you ready for your first villainous act?"

Ace looked up into the mirror to see Oswald standing in the doorway dressed in his best suit holding his umbrella, he waddled into the room and helped Ace fasten the necklace clasp she was having trouble with. The necklace was of a small Penguin, she actually liked being a Penguin Apprentice so she wanted it.

"I am. I think we can do it" she said as she turned around towards him and smiled "The Penguin will be on the front of the Gotham Gazette in no time" he had to smile at her excitement but, it slowly faded.

"I want to run some rules past you" he said seriously "Rules for you to stay out of my way" he sat down on the bed while she finished with her makeup, simple eyeliner and eyshadow "One) let my henchmen take care of the paintings and holding people hostage, two) watch the hostages and make sure they don't do anything stupid like calling the GCPD, and three)" he stopped to make sure she was listening, she turned around and looked at him "If the so called hero swoops in, hide. I don't need to worry about you being in the middle of gunfire."

She fixed the black top she was wearing and her leather vest, black jeans tucked into black leather boots and her hair was flipped all to one side, she turned around to look at him and raised a eyebrow "Its like you honestly Care, Oswald" she said holding a hand to her heart, her eyes full of laughter "I'm honored."

He rolled his eyes "You are my Penguin Apprentice. I do have to care a little about you" he said and stood up offering his arm to her "Shall we?

She took his arm and they walked down to the waiting car.

"Guys, I don't know about this."

Bruce looked down at the men below him, a couple of The Riddlers men stood guarding a door that held a green question mark, he stood up as he watched the men.

"Shut up and be patient. The freak will show soon and then we can blow his pointy ears off."

Ever since the Riddler had placed a map on his desk at his club, Bruce was trying to figure out just what Nygma wants, and tonight it was going to be solved.

He jumped down and landed behind two thugs, he knocked their heads together causing them to go unconscious, he hit the last thug so hard one of his teeth flew out, Bruce winced.

"Master Bruce, I heard that one through the earpiece."

Bruce smirked "I am not here to play nice Alfred" he said as he opened the door and walked inside. A simple desk and bed sat in the room, on the wall was painted a riddle underneath the words YOU DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BE THAT EASY, DID YOU?

Bruce frowned "An Art-form and its Colorful result" he said to hisself as he looked around the room. He looked at some kind of map on the desk and noticed it was just like the one Nygma had left for him.

It circled an address near Gotham Market.

"A painting" Bruce said and his eyes scanned the address "The Art Museum. Penguin will have to wait, I have a Riddler to outwit."

You can do this, it is just Like helping Selina with the bank that one time, well ..kind of, Ace thought as she looked up at the museum in front of her and took a breath.

Penguin stood beside her smiling "Shall we?" he said offering Ace his arm. Nervous about what was about to happen, Ace put her arm through his and the thugs opened the doors for them so they could enter the building.

The art museum looked like any other museum to Ace, boring. A woman dressed in a dark blue dress with black high heels was starting to lead away a group, in the corner was a security room, right next to it was a bathroom.

Slowly she made her way towards the bathroom and watched as a guard came out of the room and went around the corner, Ace looked to see if anyone was watching and looked in the little window on the door.

Luck was on their side. Nobody was in there at the moment, Ace went in and closed the door quietly behind her, she bent over the keyboard that was hooked up to the monitor and switched through the security cameras, when she came across camera five and ten she turned them off and turned off camera seven and eleven also.

She smirked If only Selina could see me now, she thought as the door knob twisted. Her heart rate went up as it opened and the security guard walked in, he looked at her in confusion.

"What are you doing in here? This room is for employees only" he said in a deep voice. Ace threw a hand to her head and smacked it.

"I am so sorry. I was just trying to find the bathroom, there was a sign and I got lost" she said, she bit her lip "All I was told was to follow the signs."

He smiled "We all make mistakes, ma'am" he said and held the door open for her to go through, she smiled as she walked out and went straight into the bathroom door.

She locked the door behind her and sighed as she waited a full two minutes before flushing the toilet and washing her hands. As she exited the bathroom it was just as she had suspected, the guard was there to see if she had been lying or not.

With a fake smile she said "Thank you for helping" and walked off to go find Cobblepot, as she rounded the corner she let out a sigh and saw one of the goons that had walked into the museum with them.

"Hey, where is Oswald?" she asked him, he turned and looked at her.

"Second floor. He is looking for a portrait he wants and ...he can't find it."

She thanked him before heading up the stairs, her first day as a criminal and she lost her mentor, a very bright move. Walking up the stairs she looked down aisle after aisle looking for Cobblepot, damn how hard can it be to find a man-bird? She thought as she dropped at the end of a aisle.

A hand wrapped around her mouth and brought her into a small dark aisle as the tour group passed them and headed up the stairs to the third floor. The hand removed from her mouth but the other hand stayed on her arm, they watched the group disappear.

Penguin grabbed her by the arm and walked out into the room, he tugged her down a aisle and came to a door "Did you shut down the cameras?" he asked as he opened the door for her.

She walked by him "Five, ten, seven and eleven are off" she said glancing up at a camera that was pointing into the direction of the door, the light was off "Those are the ones you wanted off, correct?"

He smiled "Perfect, my dear" he said as he walked inside the room and looked down a aisle, he went to the next one and went down it with Ace following, lots of famous art hung around them.

He went straight up to a painting on the wall and took it down. It was a painting of an Iceberg with Penguins. She raised an eyebrow as he handed her the painting "Take it out and replace it-" he opened his umbrella and handed her a fake painting "-with this."

She smirked as she looked at the painting he handed her "Seriously? What, did you have a thug paint this?" she asked as she looked at the sloppy drawing of two penguins in front of a rock.

He waved his hand "Just hurry. I have another to find" he said walking away and down another aisle, she hurriedly removed the painting and replaced it before trailing after the Penguin. They stopped and did the same to two paintings that were side by side and he placed the real paintings inside his umbrella.

"Is that seriously going to work?" Oswald looked at her and smiled as he put his umbrella down to lean on it.

"Agatha" he said with a sigh "Did you ever doubt Ms. Kyle?" she shook her head and he walked in front of her to open the door for her "Then, don't doubt me. Trust a Penguin."

They left the room and met up with the thugs before going down to the second floor. As they headed towards the door a smoke bomb was thrown into the room and it went off. Oswald grabbed Ace by the arm and pulled her back up the stairs.

"No! This was supposed to be a perfect plan!" he shouted and looked at his goons that were getting hurt, he pulled Ace up to the third floor and didn't stop until he reached the fourth. A painting of the world hung by a desk, a window sat in the far corner and Oswald waddled over to it trying to open it.

Ace stood there looking at him "What is going on?" she asked a little shaky as she heard Penguin thugs yell, Oswald turned back to look at her.

"Its the mammal man, quick help me with the window," he said, Ace ran over and started helping him try to raise the window up, it wouldn't budge. The goons ran up and Oswald looked back to see what was going on.

The goons had locked the door to the floor behind them and were holding it close, Oswald looked around him "Open the window! Now you idiots!" he said, they rushed over and tried to open the window, Ace looked up to a vent and seen screws falling out.

"Uh, Penguin-?"

The vent fell down and the man creature came out and attacked a goon, Oswald pulled Ace towards the desk in the room and pushed her down behind it "Stay!" he demanded and walked into the fight.

Her eyes widened as she looked up and over the desk that she was hiding behind, it was really him. A black mask covered his face with pointy ears, some kind of material made a suit with some kind of symbol on it, a long cape went from his shoulders down to his feet.

She was staring right at the caped man that has put a lot of criminals behind bars, her heart race and she gulped as she stared at him.

As she was lost in awe, Penguin shot at the man who dodged and flipped a goon over into the desk where Ace was, Penguin seen and shouted "Ace!" before shooting again at the man.

Ace scrambled to get up. But, the goons knocked into her causing her to fall into a rolling chair, she turned and looked to see Oswald waddling towards her, he grabbed her up by the arm and looked at the man.

He stood to full height and looked at them both "There is nowhere to run. Come quietly" the man said, Ace was frozen as Oswald looked around him, he saw the goons had gotten the window open and he grinned.

"I don't think so."

He aimed and shot at the fan in the middle of the room, it fell down almost hitting the man causing him to stagger back, something caught all of their attention.

A bomb was strapped to the fan it had a question mark painted on it, Oswald tugged Ace near the window and pushed her into it. She didn't waste any time.

She flung herself out of it and landed in a dumpster below the window, Oswald had opened his umbrella and landed beside her with more ...grace, he was holding the paintings in his hand.

Ace climbed out of the dumpster and landed on her feet beside him, they took off walking fast. But, it wasn't fast enough as the Art building exploded behind them causing Ace and Oswald to hit the alley pavement and knock them unconscious.

Laughter filled the room and his henchmen giggled, J turned to them with a smile "I think we should do something ...if Scarecrow is after this girl then she must be extremely ...talented? Or unique" he said and put a hand under his chin in thought.

His goons stood side by side wearing green shirts with purple vest that had a joker playing card on the back, matching black boots and purple pants. One stepped forward "Uh, boss?" he said.

J turned "What?"

The goon gulped "Shouldn't we be out putting Gotham through hell?" he asked, the other goons nodded and J walked towards him smiling.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no" he said and slapped the goons cheek lightly "I have such amazing plans for Gotham. They will never know what hit them" he slapped the goon one last time and turned away from them "Glee, Glad, Grin. Why dont you three go and grab some things for me" he picked up a container of laughing gas and smiled.

"This is going to be a riot."

"HaHaHaHa hAhAhAaaaaa!"

(Don't Forget to watch Gotham, press Vote and send love to J!- A.C.)


	10. The Beginning:(12-05 14:31:02)

Selina stood on top of a roof watching the art museum that was currently on fire right in front of her, a shadow showed beside her and she turned around to see Bruce "What just happened?" she asked him as she turned back to look at the mess in front of her.

Bruce walked up beside her "Edward Nygma set a bomb on the fan inside the room I was in, I don't know if the trap was for me or Cobblepot" he told her as his eyes moved towards the alley, he seen a shadow move.

"I hope it was for the bird."

Selina turned to him and he wouldn't meet her eyes "Selina, I saw something" he told her and looked towards the alley "I don't want you to have the wrong reaction."

She laughed "What could be so serious, Bruce? It's just Nygma and Cobblepot and their stupid game of 'I'm better than you'" she joked and chuckled, he met her eyes and she seen what was in them, a mix of sadness and confusion "What is it?"

"Ace was with Penguin."

Selina put her hands on her hips "It figures. I heard from Ivy a goon of his was following Ace around, so is he holding her hostage or what?" she asked Bruce. He moved his gaze from her trying to figure out the best way to say what he needed to tell her.

"No. I actually think ..I think she is working with him or something. I don't know what exactly her plan is but she is running on dangerous grounds working with him."

Selina felt her hands clenched into fist as she turned around and looked at the burning building, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"I'll kill him if he gets her hurt."

Oswald's eyes blinked open as he turned onto his side and looked at the building that was on fire, he slowly stood up and clenched his hands into fist "Damn you Nygma!" he screamed and looked around him "Try to blow up a building with me in it. I'll murder him!"

His eyes caught sight of Ace who was laying on the ground knocked out from the blast, he turned and seen one his men coming around the corner "Grab her! We have to go" he said and started waddling away. The goon bent down and picked up Ace before following Oswald through the alleyways.

Oswald was trying to think of the best route to take back to Cobblepot Manor as the moonlight gleamed down onto them, he got a odd feeling as they rounded the corner. Ace's eyes blinked open and she got the goon to let her go so she could walk up to Oswald, her bones ached as she walked up beside him.

"What happened?"

Ace was holding her head that ached painfully, Oswald looked down at her "Apparently, my old friend Edward Nygma had set a trap for the mammal man ...and me" he said thinking back to the plan they had came up with "But, how did he know we would be there?" he looked down at Ace who was holding her head as the pain got worse.

He hesitated to ask if she was alright but thought against it. He was the Penguin, he didn't care for anyone, especially some kid.

They were halfway down the alley when one by one the lights above them went out.

Oswald, Ace and the goon stopped looking around with only moonlight to guide them "That was weird" Ace said and looked up at Oswald who was looking right in front of them.

Oh, what else can happen?!, Oswald thought angrily as he stared the men down that were standing in front of them. And blocking the way out.

Right in front of them were some of Scarecrow's men. Oswald stared wide eyed and held up his umbrella ready to shoot, the goon behind them yelled and fell in between Oswald and Ace yelling as his body jerked. Ace knew that look she had seen it many times before when she had helped the master of fear.

She turned to see Scarecrow with his syringe gloved hand raised looking at her, Oswald stepped in front of Ace with his umbrella gun raised up high "I don't want to shoot you, Crane. I have had a rough night, and honestly I am on the edge of a breakdown" Oswald said with a crazy laugh.

Scarecrow just stared at them "I am not after you, Penguin" he said in his odd voice under his mask. Suddenly, two of his goons grabbed Ace by her arms and brought her down to her knees as she tried to fight against them, she bit one of their hands making them yell then stomped the others foot with her boot.

Oswald shot at Scarecrow but, the umbrella gun jammed. His eyes widened and Scarecrow easily pushed Oswald out of the way and into the brick wall, Oswald landed on the ground and two goons grabbed him making him stay down. As Ace kicked the other goon who had held her to the ground right into a wall she turned and was grabbed by the neck by Scarecrow.

She gasped as he raised her up off of the ground "Scarecrow ...I never meant... to steal-" she was trying to gasp out her words as she tried to pry his hand off of her throat.

"Do you honestly think I am after you because you stole from me?" Crane said and laughed as he brought her face closer to his to look him in the eyes "I want to know how you manage to be immune to my toxin, I want to know-" he brought his left hand up and Ace flinched as she looked at it "-why you do not show fear."

Oswald pushed his goons up off of him and hit them with the umbrella while smacking one right into the wall, as Scarecrow plunged the fear toxin into her chest Oswald waddled over and hit Scarecrow with the umbrella he had over his head, Scarecrow let Ace go and turned on the Penguin.

Scarecrow raised his syringe glove and Oswald blocked it with the umbrella as a black shadow jumped down from the building and landed onto Scarecrow's shoulders. Scarecrow reached up to get the person off but was pushed forward into Oswald who hit him across the face with the umbrella.

Selina stood over Scarecrow for a second before hearing Ace yelling, she turned around and looked in fear as Ace screamed, her body shook violently and she punched the air while laying on the ground, Oswald stared frightened as he watched her, What horrible nightmare is she having? he thought as he watched frozen in his spot.

Selina walked forward digging into her pockets, she took a syringe from her pocket and stabbed it into Ace's chest. She let everything in the syringe get into Ace's body before removing the needle. Ace stopped moving as Selina pulled the needle out, her breathing got back to normal.

"Wh-what happened?" Oswald stuttered as Selina stood up and looked at him "I thought Crane just said she was immune?"

"Her heart was stopping. She was twitching because of the toxin, That was her toxin-cure" Selina said and watched as Ace's eyes fluttered back open "She was working on it since the day Scarecrow first injected her with the stuff, apparently he has been working on his fear toxin a lot more here lately."

"A special dose of fear, for a special girl" Scarecrow said standing up, he looked towards Ace "Everyone is supposed to fear something. She cannot hide from this forever."

When Selina turned around to attack Scarecrow, he was gone and Ace was trying to sit up from the ground, she gasped for air as she put her head between her knees, Selina walked forward and knelt beside Ace "I was so worried" Sleina said grabbing ace by the chin and making her look up at her "Look at me. Are you alright? How many fingers am I holding up?" Selina held up three fingers and Ace shoved her out of her way as she tried to stand.

Ace stumbled into the wall as she stood and leaned on it "I'm fine" she snapped and closed her eyes, visions of fire flew through her head and turned her hands into fists "It was a stronger dose. I need to up my game and make more of my own" she coughed and closed her eyes watching fire dance under her eyelids.

Oswald just stared at her "Are you ...sure you are okay?" he asked gently, still confused by what had just happened. Selina turned to stare at him.

"What do you care? She could have died because you didn't know about her toxin-cure."

Ace looked towards her "I don't want him to know anything. Why are you here anyway? Shouldn't you be off stealing or something?" she snapped at Selina as she forced herself to walk towards Oswald "Thanks for the cure but, I can handle myself."

Selina put her hands on her hips "Yeah, you sure looked like you were handling it a minute ago" Ace stopped and turned around to face Selina "I have been worried sick then I find out you are hanging around Cobblepot Manor from a friend, and apparently you are learning under Cobblepot, imagine how I feel about that" Selina said.

Ace laughed "You yelled at me for standing up for myself. You believed what Jack Ryder said before actually listening from me on what actually happened!" Ace yelled at her making Selina throw her hands up "I believe Bruce Wayne when he said you had some serious issues to work out."

Selina opened her mouth and closed it before putting her hands on her hips "Hang with whoever you want to. Just know, this one here killed my friend Tabitha, he played Salvatore Maroni, pretending to be on his side and he betrayed Fish Mooney and Carmine Falcone. Also killing Fish Mooney the first time. When he betrays you, I will be there when you need me, just know I am always here for you" Selina said simply before walking away and climbing the fire escape up to the top of the building and disappearing.

Ace just stood there looking towards where Selina had disappeared. She glanced back at Oswald "Was she serious?" she asked him.

Oswald looked at the ground "Tabitha killed my mother. I got revenge and Tabitha wanted my head, it was a kill or be killed situation" he told her and leaned on his umbrella "And as for Fish Mooney ..." he stopped talking and thought back on that day "I wanted to be King of Gotham. Honestly, that was tons of years ago to me. What matters now is the present."

She turned around and looked at him "You took the words right out of my mouth. Selina is the past, you, here, teaching me is the now" she said and turned her frown into a smile before walking towards him "So, where to now?"

As Ace walked passed him he looked down at the ground where she had just layed minutes ago screaming in pain from her darkest fears, he looked towards her as she walked to the end of the alley and slowly followed behind her. Why am I shocked by this? I see crazy stuff happen everyday, he thought but as he followed Ace he noticed something different.

There was something different about her ...maybe it was the way she walked? The way she talked towards him just then ...no but there was something there.

And he didn't know if he would be able to handle it.

( Don't FEAR- er, Forget to watch Gotham, press Vote and send love to Scarecrow!- A.C.)


	11. The Beginning:(12-05 14:31:17)

Ace and Oswald walked into Cobblepot Manor, one angry and the other confused. Ace put a hand on her chest where the needle had entered her to relieve her of the Scarecrow's Toxin, how did Selina know I kept it at her place? Maybe I should sneak in and get it all back from her, Ace thought as she walked up the stairs to change out of her clothes.

Oswald stood in the living room looking at the fire burning in the fireplace before swinging a nearby vase at the wall, it shattered to the ground and he walked up the stairs, every goon getting out of the way as fast as they could. He went to his study and slammed the door behind him before walking towards the window to look out at Gotham.

I almost had her killed because of Nygma. Why did he set a stupid bomb? That really isn't his style, Oswald thought as he sat down in his desk chair. He looked at his desk and frowned, something wasn't right something was missing, he moved his Penguin statue to the left a little bit and nodded, maybe that was it.

A knock came on his door and Ace waited on the other side to hear him yell "Come in." She entered and closed the door behind her, she turned and they stared at each other.

"I just came here to say that, if the Scarecrow incident that happened scared you don't worry, I am leaving as soon as possible."

He stood up with a confused look on his face "It didn't scare me" he lied as he walked around the desk to face her better "I was just scared because of the explosion. Our plan failed about the mammal-man but we still got the paintings" he pointed to where they laid on his desk "There is no need to leave."

"Why did the building blow up anyway? What happened?"

Oswald bit his tongue "A old friend of mine decided to pay a visit to the museum before we could" he said and shook his head before looking at her "We need to think better."

Ace hesitated, her eyes scanning the paintings in the corner "Sure, just uh, I'm kind of ...nervous from everything that had just happened, where do you want to hit next?" she asked as she looked at the map "Banks? Gun stores? We can come up with something, I'm sure."

"I need an idea! A better one than the last thing we came up with!" Oswald shouted as he walked towards the window "All thanks to Nygma and his riddles, this ...caped man would have stayed away from the museum!"

"Maybe you can outsmart both Nygma and The mammal man. All you need is a little help. I can try to keep one or the other occupied and you can steal or make a deal" Ace tried to tell him, she said it in a small voice and Oswald froze as he looked out the window in the study.

His anger boiled up as he thought about Nygma and the caped mammal, his face became cruel and his eyes narrowed.

Then, suddenly, he turned on her and pointed his finger at her face making her step back as he walked towards her "I don't need help from anyone. Especially some little street girl who didn't have anything before I took her in" he snapped as he thought back on Blackgate and closed his eyes, when he re-opened them he realized he had her backed into a corner and she looked...

Scared.

Ace never felt fear before, but the look The Penguin was giving her scared her half to death. It wasn't her fault Nygma had put Batman on a Riddle hunt and ruined their Art-stealing. It wasn't her fault Penguin tried to do it all hisself. If he would have just told her what to do ...maybe he wouldn't have had to fight the mammal-man alone, she could of helped him ...but, apparently he didn't really want her help at all.

"Maybe I didn't have much. But, you didn't either, all you had was henchmen that was afraid of you and a man in a cape ruining your ideas" she spoke quietly and Oswald pulled his hand back and stared down at his pointer finger, he walked to his desk and took off his top hat before looking at the map and saying.

"I didn't mean it Ag-" when he turned around to say her name the door to the study had slammed shut and his heart fell, he realized then he probably just lost the only friend he had left.

He waddle-ran to the door and opened it looking down over the railing at the goons who were staring at the door that had just slammed, they looked up at him and he glared down at them making them go back to what they were doing. He looked at the door and his eyes softened a little.

I didn't mean to take it out on you. He pulled away from the railing and went back into his study closing the door behind him, he saw something on the floor where she had been standing and he reached down to pick it up.

It was the necklace she had been wearing, he frowned and walked towards his desk, he set it down and sat back in his chair.

Selina stood in her apartment staring at the TV which was talking about the stolen art and the explosion, she sat down on her couch and leaned back closing her eyes. Maybe if I had just left Ace alone instead of taking her in she would be better off?

She took out the pink colored jewel she had stolen and set it down on the table, a knock was heard at her door. She turned towards the door and just looked at it, nobody should be coming to visit me unless ..

She stood up and went to the door jerking it open "Ace-" she stopped when she seen nobody and when she went to step out into the hall her foot collided with a box striped purple and green. She looked left and right before bending over and picking it up, there was a tag on it that read With Love, J.

She immediately dropped the small box and walked back into the apartment, she picked up her phone and dialed Bruce's number. He didn't pick up the phone but Alfred answered with a simple "Hello."

"Alfred, get Bruce to come to my apartment as soon as he can ..a certain someone left me a gift. And I don't want to open it alone."

It took what seemed like hours but it was only minutes, Bruce came in through the window dressed in his suit, Selina pointed the box out to him that sat on her bar, she had moved it but was too afraid to open it.

Bruce slowly walked towards the box and looked at it with detective mode, he couldn't see anything through the box but blackness, he reached forward and opened the lid, he made a face in disgust as Selina gasped and covered her mouth with her hands "Oh my God."

A dead black cat was inside rotting.

Bruce looked towards Selina "He's back. But, why after one month of hiding would he do this?" he said more to himself than to her.

Selina put a hand to her stomach "That sick son of a bitch. Who would do this to an innocent cat?" she asked as she looked at the poor thing in the box, Bruce frowned as he placed the lid back over it and walked towards the window.

"I need to find him and put him back in Arkham."

Selina started to move towards him but, she stopped "I- do you think he will come after me?" she asked in a small voice, looking at the box.

Bruce stared at her before shaking his head "I won't let him hurt you" he told her with a small smile before disappearing into the night. Selina watched after him then looked at the box, This will not stop me from stealing the diamond in Gotham Jewels tomorrow night, guarantee that.

Ace walked the streets of Gotham as she had done many times before, she tucked her hands into her pockets as she passed the stores that were closed for the night, she passed the taco truck and found herself staring right at the G.C.P.D. She stared up at it with a mix of hate and sadness, maybe she should just turn herself in for helping Penguin steal the art from the museum.

Her eyes caught the sight of someone walking towards a cop car and her eyes widened "Craaaap" she said as she took off at a run, the cop car followed right behind her.

Harvey Bullock's voice was yelling "This is detective Bullock, stop right now and I will not call for backup" right behind her as she jumped over a street bench and took a right on the sidewalk running as fast as her legs would take her.

Why does he always choose me to pick on? she thought as she ran down a side road and Bullock drove the police car right behind her, she took a big jump and caught ahold of a ladder on the building as he drove past her and stopped the car at the end of the side road, she climbed up on top of the building and took off at a huge run jumping over onto another building.

She could hear Bullock shouting on the other roof as she jumped over and caught onto the next building, she missed it.

Ace fell down into a dumpster and hurriedly reached over to pull herself out, she took off at a run and went quick towards a couple of houses, she ran in between them and made her way over a fence.

She sighed and heard a growl, she turned around and came face to face with a Doberman. Her breathing almost stopped as it barked and growled at her.

"Um, nice doggy?"

It growled and barked showing its teeth, shit, she thought as she heard Bullock's police siren get louder "I have no treats or toys, what do you want?"

It snapped its teeth and pulled it's chain as it tried to jump at her, Clearly it wants supper, dumbass she thought as it growled again.

Before she could do anything else, the dog's chain broke and leapt for her, she ducked out of the way seeing a dog house near the fence at the back and she took off at a run. She jumped on top of it, then lunged herself over the fence. Her shirt caught the fence and ripped as she landed on a bush on the other side of the fence.

Ace blew hair from her face and spit grass from her mouth as the siren got ouder, she stood up and dusted off herself before walking around the fence.

"I'm fine. I almost became a chew toy but, I'm okay" she assured herself as she walked around the corner, she sighed when the cop sirens got closer.

She ran into the shadows away from the police sirens, when it passed by she ran across Gotham as quick as possible.

That is the first time I have ever almost got attacked by a dog, she thought as she ran, now where do I go? She stopped and looked towards her right where the Gotham Apartments were high to the sky, she sighed and shook her head. Get ready for a I-Told-You-So she told herself before running for the apartments.

(Where is she heading now? Don't Forget to watch Gotham, press Vote and send love to Ace!- A.C.)


	12. The Beginning:(12-05 14:31:28)

Rain fell against the apartment roof as Ace sat on a barstool next to the counter. Depression over took her as she thought about how well the last week had been ...and how it had all fell down.

She had actually came up with a brilliant plan that showed brains outwit brawn, the Riddler of course had to screw it up for them. And her being shot up with fear toxin had made everything worse, telling the Toxic story to Oswald Cobblepot about her and Scarecrow, she had thought about telling him the truth ... Only few people knew.

Selina, Ivy, Crane, her ...and Bruce Wayne. But, she didn't know if she wanted Penguin to know just yet.

Ace took the monocle out of her jacket pocket and frowned, she looked at it, black outlined and almost as big as her palm, she threw it across the room just as the door opened and it landed at Selina's feet. She bent down and picked up before closing the door and walking towards Ace.

"Want to talk about it?" she asked setting it on the bar and sitting next to her. Ace crossed her arms and looked away from Selina.

"No."

Selina frowned "Come on Ace. It isn't that bad, it brought us back together, my little cat-" she stopped talking when she seen the look Ace was giving her. Ace never stared at Selina with anger in her eyes, Selina just stared at her friend.

"Agatha-"

"I had the best time of my life this past week. I did more than I ever got to do being your ...sidekick" Ace said as she stood up and walked over to the window "Someone actually thought one of my plans was brilliant. Someone actually thought I was more than a teenager. Someone ...actually treated me like a person. I got to be more than a sidekick, I got to be a criminal of Gotham, now I don't know where to go so I came here."

Everything fell silent and Ace turned on Selina with narrowed eyes "But, of course you knew I would. You seem to know everything" she said and crossed her arms "Why do you always know everything?"

Selina looked down at the ground "I don't know everything, I just have a lot of experience of being a street ..cat" she said with a smile and looked at Ace "I know you are not very fond of me at the moment-"

"You think?"

Selina gave her a look "But, clearly you came here to talk to me" she said and crossed her left leg over the other as she stared at Ace "I'm sorry I acted like a mom. I just don't want anything to happen to you, believe it or not somebody actually cares for you, Ace."

Ace gave a dry-laugh "Really? I find that hard to believe ...it seems like here lately I chase everyone away" she said and walked towards the coffee table, she got down on her knees and reached under it putting her hand underneath she brought out a small tin that was taped underneath the table and opened it up revealing needles and vials of anti-fear toxin.

She looked up at Selina "How long have you known this was here?" she asked her as she stood up and tucked the tin into her jacket pocket, Selina shrugged as she leaned back onto the bar and spread out her arms cat-like.

"I have known for awhile. I was wondering when you were going to come and get it" she said as she stared at the teenager "Ivy told me about you stealing her flower. She is ...well, she told me to tell you to never do it again."

Ace frowned "I should probably apologize but, I needed more" she said as she looked at Selina with a frown.

"You don't have to go. I know what you are thinking."

Taking a breath Ace looked at her "I know. The thing is I want to go, I need to find me" she said and walked towards the window. Selina stood up and grabbed Cobblepot's monocle off of the bar, she held it out to her.

"Even though he made you angry, and possibly used you. I think you should remember him."

Ace looked at Selina before grabbing and putting the monocle back into her pocket for good luck. She went out the window and walked down the fire escape with a lot of thinking to do, and when you need to think where better to go than to look at some plants and plot some revenge?

Poison Ivy felt her before she even stepped foot inside her home. Her plants told her everything she needed to know, so when she turned to find young Ace standing before her it wasn't a big surprise.

She stared at Ace with a raised eyebrow "Back again? Are you planning on hurting an Oak Tree? Maybe a Rose?" Ivy said as she held her hand out to a plant, the vine climbed up her arm like a snake and settled from her hand to her shoulder "It would be very unwise to do such a thing in my presence."

Ace sighed "Ivy, I'm sorry. I just -" she stopped and looked at the blue plant with the gold on the inside beside Ivy "I need some help."

Ivy was amused, hurt one of her babies then come calling for help? I don't think so, as Ivy looked at Ace that small part of a human in her took over and she sighed "What do you need?" she asked the teenager, Ace walked around Ivy and towards a table that held a single Rose on it, she laid out her vials of Anti-Toxin and looked at Ivy.

"I don't want to fear anymore. I need your help with my expiriment" Ace said as she looked around at all of the flowers and ferns, bushes and the single tree in the middle of the room.

Ivy walked towards the vials and picked one up that sparkled blue and gold "You have created your own have you?" she asked the girl, Ace nodded as she looked at Ivy.

"I've tried to. Everytime I try to create the anti-toxin it ..isn't as strong as the last batch, I don't know what to do and I am scared for when Scarecrow strikes me again. Last time it was ...more than usual."

Ivy looked down at Ace "Because you are using the wrong flower, darling" she said and nodded towards the blue flower "Himalayn Blue Poppies ..mixed with the right flower could possibly be the correct choice. You are just using her on her own" Ivy chuckled and turned around to walk away, when Ace almost yelled at Ivy, she stopped.

Ivy was going around snipping flower petals off of every flower in the room, she returned to Ace and set the petals down in front of her. Ivy smiled as she looked down at Ace "If none of these help with the stem of the Himalayn Blue come back to me and I will help you, let me know if one gets close to helping."

Ace smiled as she put the vials into the small tin container along with the flower petals. She looked back up at Ivy "Why are you helping me? Shouldn't you be angry at me?" she asked her.

Ivy sighed "I know I should but, honestly I understand your feud with Scarecrow. Before you go hurting flowers again return to me" Ivy warned as she walked back towards the Himalayn Blue "Or I won't help you at all anymore."

Ace grinned "Thanks Ivy." She took off walking and Ivy frowned as she watched her go, If she keeps testing herself with these flowers ..who knows what can happen, Ivy shrugged and went back to helping her plants.

Ace yelled profanities as the tree branch she was standing on started to break, oh come on, if I kill a tree Ivy will really kill me, she thought to herself as she finally got the window raised up, she made a face and mouthed 'yes!' as she raised it up fully.

She stepped through the window from the tree outside and entered the study and went to the desk "If you were hiding something from me, where would you hide it?" she whispered to herself as she opened drawer after drawer on the desk. Nothing interesting but Penguin themed stuff, Ace shut the drawers And looked around the room.

If Selina is right and Oswald was hiding secrets from me, it would be in this room around something he loves dearly. But, what if Selina was wrong and he wasn't actually hiding anything? she thought as she looked towards the fire place with a frown.

Her eyes landed on the portrait of Penguins mother, she walked towards it and looked at the edges. If she has learned anything from Selina Kyle it would be ...to look under portraits and anything hanging on a wall.

She moved the portrait and it folded out to the side revealing a safe, it was a numbered safe, she looked at the numbers on it and frowned. If anything it would be a important date of his life. But how would I know what important dates are to him? He never told me anything except that he was King of Gotham and he finally got out of Blackgate, there has got to be something.

Ace looked around the room until she spotted the map, she had noticed the numbers the day she had came up with the plan. Maybe those numbers were the code? Maybe Oswald forgets things like the rest of us? She walked towards the map and searched for them, up in the corner she seen them written in black pen.

1.22/5.12

She had meant to ask him what it meant, but she never got around to it, walking back to the safe she pressed the numbers in correctly and the light turned green on the safe. She fist pumped and opened it to find money, jewels ...and a single file.

She reached her hand forward and picked it up, her eyes scanned the name, her breath caught in her throat as she read:

A

G

A

T

H

A

E

L

V

E

N

Ace stared down at the file as she flipped it open, it revealed almost everything on her life, her parents, what happened when Gordon found her, her eyes widened when she saw wrinkled papers in the file not attached to it. Gordon had scribbled down certain moments of his encounters with her.

The day he found she was working for Selina, the day she got caught with Ivy's plants, the day she got caught with vials of Toxin ..and the day she was sprayed with fear toxin.

She closed her eyes hearing the voices in her head yelling: "Stay calm, Agatha. Get her to Lee, now!".

"I don't know how one sixteen year old girl can survive that much of Crane's fear toxin. He gave her enough to kill her."

"Shh, it's alright Agatha, you are going to be okay. It's Ivy, you trust me, remember?"

"You stole my fear toxin? You little- this will teach you to steal from Scarecrow!"

That day had been eventful, she had went to Crane to speak with him and ended up being Toxined, Ivy found her yelling and curled up in a ball at the park, Ivy had helped her and had her vines set her in front of the G.C.P.D, Gordon had sent Ace to Lee who got as much of the toxin out as she could, whatever Ivy had done had saved her life.

And now, Ace never wants to feel fear again.

She took a breath and opened her eyes as her heart beat full blast, she gulped and tried to find the courage she knew she had.

"You knew everything" she whispered as her hands tightened on the file- her file, the portrait closed with a slam almost making the safe close up as well, she jumped, turned and was met with two different colored eyes and a smirk.

"I know enough."

(Don't Forget to watch Gotham, press Vote and send love to Ivy!- A.C.)


	13. The Beginning:(12-05 14:31:52)

Oswald stared down at Ace with a mixed look of anger and amusement "Well. I knew almost everything."

She took a step back but he followed her "You had a file on me this whole time? How long have you known about me?" She questioned as she backed up into the desk. He looked down at the floor for a moment before looking up at her.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend" he said simply and cocked his head to the side "You ...this mammal man, there is something there that makes you dislike him. I needed a weapon against him and ...the next day you were in the Gotham Gazette. Simple honestly."

She looked down at the file in her hand then back up at him "You used me?" she said in surprise and closed her eyes "Every single word. Everything ...making me feel like somebody ..it was all a plan? All of it?" she leaned back against the desk "Selina was right ...never trust a criminal."

Oswald waddled forward and grabbed the file from her hand, he threw it on the floor and stepped on it before she could grab it "Listen to me and not what you see or was told by someone else ...especially a wannabe cat" he said gaining her attention, she looked up at him in fear and it brought back to him the last time he had seen her, how he had scared the teenager.

He hesitated "At first ...I was using you" he admitted and looked at her calmly "During the moment when the fear toxin was overtaking you it scared me. The last kid I cared about ..I got put in Arkham Asylum because I was framed for his death. I will probably never forgive Victor Zsasz or Sofia Falcone but, I only wanted to keep a kid safe and ...I got put somewhere I did not belong for something I. Did. Not. Do."

Ace stared at him for a long time before gaining the courage to say "So that is what you didn't want to talk about?" he nodded as he looked at the file under his foot "I don't really ...know what to say to that" she admitted and frowned at him "But, I will say this. I am not some kid. Clearly you have had to see that, not just anyone can survive crossing the path of Scarecrow. Not just anyone can almost get away with a heist. I have taken care of myself through the years, I know the cost of living this life."

"I saw it, I assure you. Aggie" he said and taking a step towards her "I told myself to drive you away, you don't need someone like me in your life. Maybe Selina ...just maybe she would be a better mentor for you."

He turned to walk away and she grabbed him by his jacket "Hey! Don't walk away from me" she said loudly, he turned and looked at her in surprise "Selina ...she doesn't want to teach me anything else. And I want to be taught how to survive even more than I already know, the best person I can think of is a man that worked himself from the bottom to the top."

Oswald looked down at Ace with an aggravated look "Did you not just listen to a word I said? Everyone thought I ...everyone thought I blew a kid sky high, and yet you still want to learn under me?" he said in disbelief.

"You are my friend, no matter what they say. I will not abandon you. People talk. People spread rumors, it will never stop. But, some people are still good. I know it, I have seen it. I have seen how the G.C.P.D handles things, it isn't right. They treat people that are really innocent of some things like they are scum."

He tugged away from her and went to the window "Kid, you still have a lot to learn" he said shaking his head and looked out at the dark sky outside "There is a lot more to being a criminal than you think."

"Then teach me. That was the idea. The first day I met you ...I was running away from the GCPD. I want them to run away from me instead" she said and her hands turned into fist "I don't want ..." she stopped, he turned his head and waited for her to talk.

"I don't want to live life in fear. I don't want to be a simple street kid" she said and closed her eyes "I want to be a criminal. I want to be one of the best. I want to learn under Gotham's Legend's."

Oswald turned to Ace and stared at her with pursed lips, he tried to make sense as to why she would come back after his outburst, maybe, just maybe, it was because he had treated her ...like he wanted to be treated.

Like a human, like a friend.

A smile came to Oswald as he looked at her "So, my young friend," he said as he turned to stare out at Gotham, she walked up beside him and looked at him, she could see him smiling that twisted smile of his she had come to know in the last week, the smile meaning he had a plan. She zipped open her jacket pocket and took out something placing it in his hand.

His Monocle. The thing that had been missing from his desk, he finally realized that she had stolen it. He took off his backup monocle and placed the original one over his eye.

"Where do we begin?"


	14. The Beginning:(12-05 14:32:01)

An Iceberg in the center of the room, a loop of a balcony with chairs and tables sat around on the balcony, stairs swirled around the iceberg sculpture descending down into the main room, a bar sat on one side of the Iceberg while the VIP area sat on the other. Chairs and tables where everywhere, booths were lined up on the sides.

Children laughed and watched in fascination as Penguins swam around in the tanks beside the booths, it was one large tank of Penguin's that circle the room, parents ordered alcoholic beverages while the children watched the Penguin's and ate a meal.

And three paintings hung side by side, the duo's first victory together ...if you could call it that, I mean they did get almost blown up by a trap set up by Edward Nygma, AKA The Riddler.

In the VIP area, a man and a teenager watched their work unfold in front of them, he smirked as he held a cigarette holder to his mouth, his monocle over his right eye, a fine purple and black suit was what he wore while he leaned on an umbrella.

The teenager wore a dark purple dress with a black jean jacket, black leggings covered her legs while she wore them tucked down into black leather boots that came above her ankles, the buckles click clacked as she walked.

Agatha Elven had her arm through her mentor and friend Oswald Cobblepot's arm while journalist and reporters held recorders and microphones to them trying to get them to talk, Ace had never seen this much fuss over something, it made her uneasy.

"Mr. Cobblepot" Vicki Vale said as she pointed a tape recorder at him, her blonde hair falling over her shoulders "How well do you like The Iceberg Lounge? Is your new club going to make it this time?"

Oswald gave a smile and gestured around with his umbrella "The Iceberg Lounge is becoming a hit, all thanks to my little Penguin Apprentice" Oswald said and looked down at Ace who smiled smugly and crossed her arms. Oswald looked back at the crowd before them.

"As you can see, Ms. Vale, we only wish for the people of Gotham to have fun. It is family friendly. And of course, there is a rule-" he stopped and smiled into the camera "No Clowns Allowed."

Ace stared at Oswald for a moment, only few people would know why he said that. And he probably just angered that person more, she turned and looked out at the crowd in front of them.

Vicki cocked her head to the side "What about billionaire Bruce Wayne's club? Do you feel like there could be competition between the two clubs?" she asked while holding out her tape recorder.

Oswald laughed "I do not see Mr. Wayne as competition, I believe both clubs are wonderful" he said simply and smiled at the cameras.

More questions came and Oswald gestured for two of his brute henchmen to take care of them and get them away from him, they did as told and him and Ace looked at each other rolling their eyes and sharing a smile. A knowing smile, they sat down on the black U-shaped couch with white cushions.

"You know I actually like this better than the old one," he told her as he motioned a waitress over "More ..." he paused trying to come up with the right name.

Ace smiled "Flashy? Icey? Penguin-y?" she guessed, he tapped his index finger on his chin as he thought.

"Yes. Penguin-y. I like that" he said with a smile as the waitress came over, he told her what he wanted and when she turned to Ace, Ace just told her a water. The waitress left and Ace leaned back into the couch with a smile.

"Any plans for our next big idea?" Penguin asked.

She shrugged, "We could come up with a better name for the caped man than just ...mammal-man, it sounds wrong" she said as she looked out at the penguin's behind the glass. They swam around freely and happily.

"Speaking of names" Oswald said laying his umbrella across his lap and looking at Ace "I say you need a proper villainous name."

Ace laughed "I thought Ace was as good as I could get" she joked, he raised a eyebrow which made her sigh "Alright, Penguin what 'cha got for me?"

He took off his top hat and sat it beside him "Dark Quail" he spoke softly as he looked back at her. Ace had a eyebrow raised as she looked at him confusion.

"Dark what?"

A smile was placed onto his face but, he quickly hid it "Dark Quail. You are small but, you are full of many surprises" he told her and looked towards the iceberg behind him "Smaller than Selina Kyle and not well known as The Penguin, you are like the overlooked child of the criminal family."

She frowned "Isn't a quail a small bird?" she asked as a waitress brought Ace a water and Oswald a wine glass. He looked down at the wine and back up at her with a smirk "Like, they make pretty noises but they are not really that threatening."

"Quail can also mean to cringe in fear or pain. If you don't like being part of the bird family ..you could go with that bit of information."

Ace crossed her arms after setting the water down on the penguin shaped coffee table "Dark Quail" she mumbled and cocked her head to the side "Doesn't really strike fear into hearts."

Oswald took a sip of wine "Honestly, my dear. Do you think I liked being called Penguin? No, I did not. I didn't think it struck fear into people either but look at me now" he said with a dark chuckle.

He was right. Penguin didn't strike fear but, looking at him and his goons. She could see why a lot of people were scared of him. She looked towards him and raised her glass of water.

"To the Penguin and the Dark Quail. May they strike fear into Gotham."

Penguin chuckled "Birds of a Feather, Flock Together" he quoted and raised his glass. Ace thought for a moment, not really sure what he meant but, she took a sip of water anyway.

Oswald smiled as he set down his glass "So, how is that anti-fear thing you are working on coming along? I don't need Crane putting fear into my Penguin Apprentice, do I?" he said with a chuckle. Ace leaned on the arm rest of the couch with a sigh.

"It's ...an improvement from the last batch. I'm on the last petal, I need to go see Ivy tonight to talk about the anti-toxin, she said she would help me and I am hoping she keeps her word."

Ace looked at Oswald with a frown "Why?" she asked suspiciously.

He raised his hands up "Just wondering. Now that you explained the Scarecrow incident to me, I really want you to have the anti-toxin in you, I cannot lose my right hand Quail, can I?" he asked as he took a sip of wine.

Ace reached for her water "You really need to work on giving me a better name" she told him before taking a sip of her water and sighing. She placed it back down onto the table and a goon walked up to them and cleared his throat catching their attention.

"Boss ...you have a package in your office, we don't really know who from" he told Penguin, Oswald looked at Ace and frowned.

"Maybe you should go see Ivy? Whatever it is I will let you know about when you get back."

Ace smirked "Expecting a love letter, Mr. Cobblepot?" she teased as she stood up and walked down from the VIP.

"Get out of here."

The embarrassment in Oswald's voice made Ace laugh as she left the building. Oswald waddled with his henchmen towards the back room and opened the door.

A room alike his old one at his old Iceberg Lounge stared back at him, on his table sat a purple and green box. He motioned to a goon "Open it for me" he said, the goon hesitated but did as told.

As soon as the goon opened it he was sprayed in the face with some kind of gas, he started laughing crazily and went down to the floor. Oswald stepped over him and looked in the box to find the container of gas and a letter addressed to him.

Dear Oswald,

I know we have had our differences in the past but, I am inviting you to a place where all of us criminals can gather and chat.

It is a simple place where we can discuss things and it is a hidden safe haven for criminals, please come and bring your little friend.

I would love to meet her.

Hope you enjoyed the laugh, old friend.

~ J.

Oswald gave an annoyed look and crumpled the piece of paper in his hand before throwing it on his desk "So, you are back and with a new name. Huh, why are you at our haven?" he said more to himself than to the goons who were looking at their passed out friend, Oswald turned around with a smile and looked at his men.

"Tell me how my old friend, J, found out about my little penguin apprentice?"

They all looked at each other and shook their heads raising their hands "Wasn't me boss" and "J who?" came from them all, Oswald rolled his eyes as he looked at them.

"If I find that one of you morons told someone about Ace, I will kill you."

Ace ran to Ivy's and stopped at the door, she slowly opened it and found Ivy sitting in her plant made chair, she looked towards Ace with a smirk.

"I have been expecting you, did any of them work?"

Ace walked in and set the different vials down for Ivy to look at "They all turned black except for one. It turned a bluish green" she told her, Ivy frowned as she stood from her seat and walked towards Ace, she picked up a vial and shook it.

"Well, may I?"

With a nod for Ivy to take the vial, Ivy walked towards a plant and poured the contents into it. The plant died instantly and Ace winced as she watched it, Ivy turned back to Ace with wide eyes.

"Well, I am glad I didn't drink it like I started to" Ace told her, Ivy gave a small chuckle before walking towards a yellow flower, she chipped a petal off of it and a petal off of the Blue Himalayn blue poppy, she walked towards the empty table and crushed them both in her hand, she let them flow into a bowl before adding water.

"What all have we tried so far?" Ivy asked her, Ace knew this was a test for her flower knowledge so she smiled proudly.

"We have tried the sunflower which only caused it to last for two minutes, we tried Damask Rose which caused it to turn white and blue, the only thing it did was cause nausea, the stargazer Lily caused me to have anger issues and almost give Penguin a heart attack when I yelled at his henchmen for him" this caused Ivy to laugh "The Lady Tulip made it turn black for some odd reason, and the uh, Primrose uh-" Ace stopped trying to think.

Ivy spoke up "The Primrose Peerless Daffodil made it turn green blue, correct?" she asked Ace who nodded her head yes. Ivy turned with a smile "Then why don't we try this?" she offered the bowl to Ace who looked down into it, she looked up at Ivy in confusion "A yellow Water Lily. It might just work."

Ace sighed and mixed it with what she had left of the originally antidote that Ivy had came up with, she put it into some extra vials she had carried along and smiled when she saw the blue and yellow gold swirl ..mixed with black.

"Why is it still black?" she asked Ivy, Ivy looked at it and took it into her hand.

Ivy raised her eyebrows "This might work. It looks like the original that wore off but maybe adding in the water Lily ..maybe it just might be permanant" she told Ace with a smile and handed it to her.

Ace took it in her hands and looked at it before putting it in the tin container with the rest and putting it in her jacket pocket.

Ivy crossed her arms as she looked at Ace "Just maybe you finally created an antidote for Crane. What are you going to do now?" she asked Ace. Ace smiled up at her as she walked towards the door.

"I just might use it."

Before she reached the door Ivy yelled "Ace?" she turned back and looked to Ivy who crossed her arms "Happy almost Birthday, darling. May your wish come true."

Ace stopped breathing as she looked at Ivy, with everything going on she had completely forgotten her birthday was tomorrow. She smiled and gave a salute to Ivy who blew Ace a kiss as she went out the door.

As Ivy went back to her plants, Ace found herself out in the dark of Gotham. She looked around at her surroundings before taking off for the streets.

That is when a hand reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her back into the darkness of bushes as the G.C.P.D marched by yelling and looking for someone. She looked up at the person who had grabbed and opened her mouth to let out a scream.

(. Don't Forget to watch Gotham, press Vote and send love to The Iceburg Lounge!- A.C.)


	15. The Beginning:(12-05 14:32:15)

Nothing came out as she stared at the man who was holding her by her arm as he watched the G.C.P.D march by, she just stared at him. "Who are you?" is what finally came out of her mouth to say.

He took off the orange and black mask revealing a almost-gray head of hair, a black eyepatch was over his eyes kind of reminding Ace of a pirate. His black and orange suit was the same as she had been seeing in newspapers here lately.

"Deathstroke. I am guessing you are this Ace that every single person in Gotham keeps mumbling about?"

She looked confused "How did you know?" she asked him as he stood up and pulled her up by her arms.

"A assassin has to know these things" he said simply and ran a hand through his hair as he looked down at her "That was pretty good work, going up against Scarecrow's goons like that. You just might be a good soldier one day."

She raised an eyebrow "Um, thanks?" she said as they climbed over the bushes and she looked up at him "So, you are this new guy running around Gotham that is 'trying' to take off heads of rich people?" he gave a satisfied look towards her.

"Yes I am. I see you have done your homework."

Ace shrugged "I'm always interested in interesting people" she said simply and held a hand out to him "Good to meet ya, Mr. Deathstroke. But, I must be going, My boss will get angry if I don't come home by midnight" she rolled her eyes "He is more like an obsessed dad than a boss actually."

He chuckled "Gotham is mean at night, Ms. Ace. I will see you around" he said and took her hand giving it a firm shake, she nodded at him and carried on her way.

Slade Wilson watched after her with a raised eyebrow, he shook his head and put his mask back on "Nice kid" he mumbled and looked around him "Now where do I find Bruce Wayne?"

Ace stared at the vial she held in her hands as she walked back to Cobblepot Manor, she walked up the steps and put the vial in her front pocket before opening the door and walking in, she closed the door behind her and walked up the stairs, she seen the door to the study open and decided to peep around the corner.

When she looked in she seen Oswald asleep with his head on the desk, she had to chuckle as she walked in and towards him, Ace tapped his shoulder "Oswald?" she asked quietly, when she got no response she lightly shook his shoulder "Mr. Cobblepot."

He blinked his eyes open and looked up at her before raising his head off of the desk "Oh, Agatha. What is the time?" he asked quietly, she looked at the clock on the wall and told him it was ten o'clock. He shook his head and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand before leaning back in his chair.

"How was your visit with Ivy, my dear?"

Ace shrugged and ran her finger over a Penguin statue on his desk "It was fine. We uh, think we have finally came up with a antidote" she said and smirked as she looked at him "Let Crane try to toxin me now."

Oswald chuckled and stood up form his chair, he stretched his arms before grabbing his umbrella "Well, we have a long day tomorrow, why don't you get some sleep?" he asked as they walked out of the study, Ace frowned at him.

"Long day?" she asked confused.

He grinned "It is a very important day tomorrow isn't it?" he teased as he walked to his room, Ace stood there for a second before walking to her own room, then she realized something.

He had the file on her ..he knows her birthdate.

Waking up the next morning everything was quiet, she opened one eye then the other before raising up and stretching, she got out of bed and walked to her closet, she put on a black shirt, black jeans and a red leather jacket, she tugged on her leather boots and walked out of her room.

She made her way downstairs and stopped when she saw the goons and they were wearing ...

I know I am not seeing Penguin goons in party hats, she thought trying not to laugh. She turned to the kitchen and seen Olga walking out with a cake, she set it on the table in the middle of the room with a smile. Ace just stood in her spot seeing some goons smiling while others looked bored out of their minds. Oswald must have had to threaten some of them.

"Okay, what the hell is happening here?"

As soon as it came out of her mouth Oswald was standing at the top of the stairs smiling "I couldn't let my favorite Penguin Apprentice have a boring birthday, could I?" he asked, chuckling as he walked down the stairs, some of the goons blew a birthday party horns almost causing her to go deaf. Their voices, Oswald's and Olga's sang the Happy Birthday song as Oswald walked towards her and placed a party hat on her head.

It was blue and pink swirled, she noticed he had one on top of his top hat as well. She just watched with a mix of confusion and amusement.

"-Happy Birthday dear Agatha, happy birthday to you."

Goons blew the party horns again and she was tempted to smack the one close to her that blew it in her ear twice now, but as she looked at Oswald she seen he was happy and dead serious about this.

She had to smile "I, uh, this has never happened to me before" she said with an unsure chuckle, he smiled down at her and offered her his arm, she took it and he guided her to the head of the table.

"I wanted to do something to say thank you. You have given me new views and ideas to take down this ..what are they calling him? The Dark Knight?" he said with a chuckle as a goon pulled out Oswald's throne, Oswald made her sit in it "So, thank you Agatha. But, don't get too comfortable in my chair."

He patted her shoulder and walked to sit in the chair to her left while another goon sat to her right.

Agatha was ...scared? No, that wasn't the right word. She was unsure how to take all of this, her mind flashed back to a memory ...a memory of her and her parents on her birthday, they were celebrating just the three of them when something happened, she couldn't remember what it was.

Fire hit her brain with flashes of her dead parents laying over her and she jerked up from the chair and stood to the side as she looked at the table where Oswald had stood up and was holding a hand out to her.

"Agatha are you alright?" he asked worriedly, she grasped onto a small table that held a bouquet of purple flowers, she nodded as she stared at the cake before her.

"Come on, Aggie. Let's celebrate."

"But, what about Gotham?"

Her father looked down at her "It will be alright, Gordon would have told us if we needed to come back to the G.C.P.D" he told the eight year old before picking her up and carrying her to the table where a white on white birthday cake was holding the single number for a candle.

Agatha blew out her candle and heard her mom scream as something crashed into their home, her father quickly put his body over her mother and her to protect them as the house came crashing down onto them.

There was a light shining into her eyes and she blinked sitting up from the floor, Oswald crouched beside her while Olga put away the flash light, Oswald moved her hair from her face "Agatha? Hey" he said holding her by her arms, she looked up at him wide eyed "It's okay."

She wrapped her arms around his neck as she held back the tears that were threatening to flow, I will not cry, not in front of the Penguin, no Agatha, don't do it, she thought to herself as Oswald motioned for everyone to leave the room.

When she opened her eyes she seen her hand was bleeding, she pulled away from him and looked at her hand before looking back at the shattered vase and flowers on the floor, Oswald looked down at her as she put her hands to her head.

"God, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry" she repeated over and over, he wrapped his arms around her as she told him she was sorry.

Oswald didn't know what had just happened to her, one minute she is jerking up from the table lost in a trance or something and then she is falling over her hands hitting the vase causing it to crash down with her. He didn't know what to do except to go and check on her.

"It's fine, I promise. What the hell just happened?" he asked as she froze, her eyes opened and she looked at him before standing up, she walked a bit away from him looking at her hand "Agatha, tell me. You are not going to shove this to the side."

"I don't know what I need to tell you."

Oswald stood up and pointed a finger at her "This is twice since you got hit last by Scarecrow's fear toxin that you have blacked out or whatever is happening to you. I deserve to know what is going on" he said as he hobbled towards her, she moved her gaze from him and right towards the cake.

She gulped as she looked down at her boots "The day my parents died, during the attack on Gotham, it had been my birthday. It must have triggered something, I don't know" she said and turned around, she headed up the stairs and to her room leaving Oswald staring at her wide eyed.

How didn't he know that? he thought as he looked down at the shattered vase, he looked towards the kitchen and walked towards it to tell Olga to clean it up for him.

Ace stood with her back towards the door, eyes closed as she tried to get her breathing under control.

"You are fine. You are alive" she whispered to herself and shook her head as the image of her parents came back into her head, she walked away from the door and towards her dresser where she looked into the mirror at her reflection, dark hair with a purple and green streak, brown eyes and dark makeup.

You should be stronger than what Cobblepot just seen. What do you think he thinks of you know, the voice in her head told her. She lowered her head and made a face form the pain in her hand, she looked down at it to see glass from the vase stuck in her hand, she picked up a pair of tweezers and unsteadily tried to grab the glass from her hand, her hand shook as a knock came on the door.

"Agatha?"

"One minute please."

"I'm coming in" Oswald said, he opened the door and seen her trying to pull the glass from her hand, he seen she was shaking too. "Hey, stop" he waddled forward and grabbed the tweezers from her hand.

She glared up at him "I need to get this out of my hand!" she shouted at him trying to grab the tweezers from him, he held them above her head.

"I know, let me do this one thing for you!' he shouted back taking his other hand and holding down the hand she was trying to grab the tweezers with, she huffed as she glared at him. She let him move her to the bed as he yelled for Olga, he told her to get him a bowl of water and a washcloth, he sat down beside Ace and she bit her lip as she turned her head away, he grabbed her hand.

It was shaking under his hold, he took the glass out of her hand but seen two more pieces in her hand, he dug them out with the tweezers and she made a noise from the pain. Oswald put the tweezers next to the glass he had laid on the bed as Olga came in with a bowl of water, a rag and the first aid kit.

He nodded to Olga in thanks and she walked out of the room closing the door behind her. Oswald wiped blood from Ace's hand and put peroxide on it before wrapping gauze around her hand.

She frowned as she watched him "Why are you being so nice to me?" she asked as he finished wrapping her hand up "You ...You are the Penguin, you should be looking down at me."

"Who said I don't?" he raised a eyebrow at her with a smile as he picked up the glass beside him and threw it in the garbage beside her bed "And maybe, just maybe, we can relate on some things."

"Like?"

He smiled "We both lost our parents. We are both wanted by the G.C.P.D by now" he said, she laughed at that which made him smirk "I think, I am actually allowed to care for someone and possibly be a good mentor."

Ace looked down at her hand before wrapping her arms around Oswald's left arm, he looked down at her in confusion as she said "Thank you. This really means a lot. Selina never bothered to give me a cake or even party hats."

He patted her head before looking at the door in front of them.

"Oh, I have somewhere I want to take you" he said suddenly, she let go of his arm and he stood up with a smile as he walked towards the door.

She hesitated before following after him "Where are we going?" she asked as she followed him down into the living room, he motioned for a goon to walk over as he looked down at her.

"It's a surprise."

(What are they up to now? And Seriously, I want all Gothamites to be honest ...is this book good so far? Don't Forget to watch Gotham, press Vote and send love to Ace Penguin!- A.C.)


	16. The Beginning:(12-05 14:32:34)

"Where are we?"

Oswald, Ace and ten of his henchmen stood in an abandoned alley, a sign hanging crooked read Crime Alley, it made Ace move closer to Oswald who was looking at bricks on the wall.

"A secret place, my dear." He knocked on a loose brick and it slid open, Oswald stared into the hole at the man with a mean look.

"Password?"

"Rogues, my dear man. It is freezing out here, let us in now!" Oswald snapped, the man closed the brick and opened the wall/door. Oswald grabbed Ace by her un-hurt hand and guided her inside, it was a small hallway before it turned into a huge room.

In the middle of the room sat a table with people in chairs, they turned as Penguin and Ace entered and Ace froze completely seeing a certain face.

"Oh. My. Gotham."

Victor Zsasz smiled and sent her a small wave as The Riddler, who sat beside him focusing on his cards, looked at the cards Zsasz was holding before looking up at the two who walked through the door, Ivy sat in a chair made of vines as she smiled at Ace, Firefly looked up with a smirk as Jervis Tetch chuckled and took a card out of his top hat.

Ace just stared at them. She was standing before the ones who were here before Gotham went under flames, before Gotham was rebuilt, these were some of the villains who survived it. Some of the villains who took over parts of Gotham.

As she stared at them she couldn't help but think there should be more criminals in this room, but stopped when she remembered that Gotham City had opened a better and more well guarded Arkham Asylum.

Oswald walked towards them with a fake smile "Tell me where he is?" Oswald demanded. Nygma pointed to the back and Oswald nodded before motioning to his men "One of you come with me. The rest of you stay with Ace. Watch her."

They moved to a back room and Ace stood there looking at them, was this really what they do in their free time? She thought as Ivy motioned to the chair beside her and Zsasz.

"Sit down, darling. I believe you know Victor?"

Ace slowly sat down as Zsasz grinned looking at her "Want to see the tally mark you helped me get?" he asked Ace and pulled down his collar revealing four tally marks on his neck "All I like is one more and it will be complete."

Firefly looked up from her cards "You keep on killing so quickly and you are going to run out of room" she said simply as she stared at him.

"I may add one more in a minute if you keep telling me that" he warned her, Jervis looked between them from where he was sitting across from Ace and frowned as he uncrossed his legs and sat up straight.

"We have a guest. This is no way to act. No, no, no" Jervis said as he looked towards Ace with a smile "Tell me young friend, would you like some tea?" he motioned to a teapot on the table behind him and Ace shook her head no.

Mainly scared at what Jervis probably would put in it other than sugar or lemons. Possibly, it would have whatever Alice took when she went down that rabbit hol

Ivy rolled her eyes "Why do I even bother coming here if you three are going to act like children" she snapped and Ace felt her chair jerk towards Ivy, she looked down to see a vine dragging her chair "Ace is not a test subject. Besides if you touch her, Oswald will murder you." Ivy laughed evil making Ace uncomfortable.

Edward Nygma looked up and raised his eyebrows "So, you are the one who keeps helping Oswald get on the Gotham Gazette?" he asked laying his cards down in front of him, Jervis tried to sneak a peek at them but Nygma smacked his hand before smirking at Ace.

"Tell me, who is the mastermind behind the ideas?"

Ace frowned and crossed her arms trying to look as mean as she could, unfortunately she just looked like a kid giving a stubborn look "We work together. What is it, Mr. Nygma? Saddened that your plot to kill Oswald did not work like you thought it would?" she said with an amused look.

Nygma sunk back into his seat with every villain at the table raising their eyebrows at him, then Nygma simply laughed.

"A doctor and a bus driver are both in love with the same woman. The bus driver had to go on a long bus trip that would last a week. Before he left, he gave Sarah seven apples. Why?" Nygma tested her.

All villains groaned as Ace raised a eyebrow and thought about it for a minute, a doctor and a bus driver fell in love with a woman, bus driver gives her ...apples? Ace thought, trying to get how this fits as an answer to her question.

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away?"

Nygma clapped his hands slowly "Now. Imagine me as the bus driver, Oswald is the doctor, this ...Dark Knight is the girl and the apples are the bomb" he said, she raised her eyebrows and he grinned "A apple a day keeps the Cobblepot away!"

She stared at him in disbelief "Your trying to win over the Dark Knight?" she said confused "Why on earth would you want to do that?"

Edward frowned "Isn't it obvious? I am wanting to prove I am the smartest man alive, the only way to do that is to take down this Dark Knight who keeps stopping my plans, meanwhile he keeps his attention on Oswald and ...I need him and certain other villains out of my way."

Ace just stared at him as Ivy's vine snuck up around his neck and Zsasz glared at him "We aren't competing, Nygma. We want this Dark Knight gone as much as you" Firefly said.

Nygma held his hands up as the vine wrapped around his neck "Three playing cards in a row. Can you name them with these clues? There is a two to the right of a king. A diamond will be found to the left of a spade. An ace is to the left of a heart. A heart is to the left of a spade. Now, identify all three cards" he said as he picked up his own playing cards.

Zsasz, Ivy and Firefly looked ready to smack him as a voice ring out:

"Ace of Diamonds, King of Hearts, Two of Spades." Oswald stepped out from the backroom with an unhappy smile "Give it up, Ed. Your riddles are getting old" he said in a dull tone as he took a seat beside Zsasz and motioned to Ace.

"Will you fix me a drink? Please my Penguin Apprentice" he said with a smile, he nodded as she patted his shoulder, he watched her go before looking at the villains in front of him "I turned him down" he told them when she got out of ear shot.

Ivy nodded "You aren't the only one, me, Nygma, Zsasz and Tetch have as well. Firefly here is trying to decide what to say" she told Oswald as she looked at the other girl.

Firefly sighed "It's tempting. But, I don't know if I could do that after seeing Gotham like it was" she said and looked up at them "Did he leave?"

Oswald nodded "I made him leave. This is our place to hide, not his. He should keep to the shadows, that is what is best for him" he said as Tetch dealt him some cards.

Ace got a glass and poured Oswald an adult beverage before putting it down and reaching for a root beer on the fold out table.

"Well, well" Ace turned around and dropped the glass bottle of Root Beer wide eyed as she stared at the man in front of her who sported a red lipstick grin on pale skin "Just who are you?" J asked with a smile as he looked down at the teen.

Ace was frozen in shock as she stared at him. He was just as she had seen in the newspaper months ago when he had kidnapped Jim gordon's daughter and the Dark Knight had made his first official appearance.

Jeremiah Valeska-er J looked down at her with a creepy smile "Ms. Elven? You look exactly like you did in the paper ..just less anger" he said as he leaned on the table, also blocking her exit.

"Uh, thanks?" she said unsure and spotted the drink "I need to get that to Oswald" as she started to reach for it, J grabbed her hand throwing her off.

J cocked his head to the side "You see, me and my friends are in need of a couple of helpers. You look like you could help us set Gotham on the right path" he said as he grinned "Perhaps, you would like to join us?"

Ace just stared at him as she tugged her hand out of his grip "No thanks. I like where I am" she said and tried to step around him, he grabbed her by the arms.

"Where? As Cobblepot's little helper? His sidekick?" J laughed "Oh now that is funny" he rolled his eyes at her as she tried to punch him.

"Let me go! You psycho clown!"

J laughed "You are a fire, I like that" her hand came up and punched him in the face, he staggered back and held his face as she ran backwards and crashed right into a body.

Zsasz, Oswald, Nygma and Tetch stood there staring at J.

Tetch and Nygam helped Ace stand up as Oswald pointed his umbrella at J "Leave. I am only giving you this one chance" he said in a tone as Ace was pushed behind Nygma and Tetch "And never come back here."

J laughed "Oh, Ozzie. You know you want to help me. You all love me!" he shouted at the guys laughing. They all four stared back at him with glares.

"We like Gotham how it is. Not how you want it to be, Jeremiah" Jervis said, Ace peeped up and over the two men's shoulders to look at J who was smiling evil-y.

"My way is better. This City deserves to be chaos and full of laughter, you will regret not letting me come back" he told them and looked at Ace with a bow "Until next time, m'dear" he laughed as he went out the back entrance and Oswald turned to Ace who was staring in shock.

"What did he mean? Why does he want all of you to join him for?"

They stared at each other before Oswald leaned on his umbrella and looked at her "Jeremiah wants us to bring down Gotham. He wants to make the Dark Knight go insane when all we want is him dead. And now that he has his eyes on you ...I don't think he is playing around."

"I think all that time in Arkham messed with him worse than how he was before" Zsasz mumbled, Ace looked at them all before going back to where Ivy was, she thought to herself as she followed the three.

So that is why we came here, Jeremiah wanted to talk to Oswald about a plan, if his plan is really as bad as they think ...should Gotham be warned? She looked around her at the villains surrounding her, but then again, who would believe criminals?

(Criminals have hearts too ...They just don't show it much. Don't Forget to watch Gotham, press Vote and send love to our Villains!- A.C.)


	17. The Beginning:(12-05 14:32:50)

Ace woke up to her window closing and she shot straight up out of bed going towards the window, she looked out but she saw nobody, on the window was an envelope. Ace grabbed it and opened it with her pocket knife.

A small note read Happy Birthday, see you soon, Love Selina.

Ace took out a small baggie which held a ring with a black jewel on it, she knew Selina had to of stolen it, she smiled as she took it out and put it on her middle finger.

She never felt right wearing rings on the fourth finger of either of her hands, it always felt odd to her. She put on black ripped jeans and a black shirt before sliding her boots on her feet and walking out of her room, she could hear Oswald yelling at some goons in his study.

They ran out of the room like hell was on their heels, she raised her eyebrows and walked towards the study to see him looking out the window at Gotham with a stone expression, she softly knocked on the wall and he turned around ready to yell but stopped when he saw her.

A smile came to his face "Good morning" he said as he walked to his desk and sat down looking over a letter "Olga has breakfast cooked down in the kitchen if you want some. I figured you wouldn't want anyone it bother you after last night."

Her mind went back to the night before, the appearance of Jeremiah Valeska entered her mind and she shivered as she walked towards his desk and picked up a small Penguin statue looking at it.

"I was trying to forget it honestly."

He looked up at her and frowned "Agatha, he won't bother you. Not when you have lots of criminals surrounding you" Oswald assured her with a smile and looked back down at his piece of paper "Can you help me? I cannot figure this out to save my life" he tried to joke but she didn't laugh as she walked around the table and looked down at it.

"What has wings but can't fly, legs but can't walk, and eyes but can't see?" she said confused and thought for a minute, she grabbed the letter from him and looked it over, that was all that was on it, she shook her head and looked at Oswald "Nygma again?"

"He will not stop! I wish I could just shoot him and be done with it. I was a fool to think of him as a friend, a brother even" he said putting his chin on his hand.

Wings but can't fly? Legs but cannot walk and eyes but cannot see? She thought to herself as she looked at Oswald, her eyes caught a bird statue in the corner, and she stopped.

"A dead bird" she said out loud and put a hand over her mouth. Oswald looked up at her and went back over the riddle, he glared down at the paper and started ripping it into tiny pieces.

"Damn you!" He shouted hitting the desk wit his hands and looked up at Ace "Never Have Friends. Have Enemy's That You Keep Close ...I have said that and said that to you here lately but I am about to go back on my word and murder him before he kills me!"

Ace stared at him "What if we can find Nygma? We could stop him before he does something that really hurts you" she suggested, he looked at her confused.

"Like what?"

Ace slowly grinned as she looked at Oswald, and he found himself grinning back at her.

Selina smiled as she walked into a Jewelry store and looked into a case at a huge purple diamond just calling her name. She smiled as she looked at it and then at the counter where a elderly man stood looking through his cash register.

She walked over and in a hurry said "Excuse me sir, do you have a restroom? I really need to use the bathroom."

He nodded "Go through the door beside the counter and take a right, first door on the left" he told her, she showed him a smile before going through the doors near the counter.

She went left instead of right and walked through boxes of junk that was useless to her, she moved three huge boxes and found a window, she smiled as she raised it just enough for her to squeeze in through later.

Selina replaced the boxes and went back through the box maze, she quickly entered the bathroom as the old man whistled coming towards the back, she waited a moment and exited the bathroom. She walked back out through the doors as she noticed a couple looking at rings, she stopped.

Young and in love. She frowned for a moment and pushed open the door going out into Gotham, she looked down the sidewalk and walked straight for a moment then cut through an alley.

She found a fire escape and climbed up it, she climbed up on top of the building and froze solid at what she seen.

"You."

J turned towards her with a smile "Did you like my gift? I tried to find a Tiger or Lion, honestly, but a simple black cat crossed my path and we couldn't have me getting bad luck could we?" he said with a laugh.

She stood in a fighting stance "What do you want? To get back at me for what I did years ago? If that is the case, bring it on" she told him causing him to laugh.

"Oh, Selina Kyle, I do not hold a grudge for that, no. What I want is much more simple" he said walking towards her with a smile "I want your boyfriend, and I want the Dark Knight to embrace his inner craziness."

Selina frowned "Bruce isn't my- what do you want with him?" She said it suddenly occurred to her that he was talking about Bruce Wayne. Both times.

J grinned "I want him ...dead."

Suddenly, something was splashed into Selina's eyes and she yelled as something was placed over her mouth, she could hear J laughing as she went unconscious.

"Welcome! To the Nygma show" Riddler throws his arms up and laughs as his crowd goes crazy, Ace looks up to Oswald with a raised eyebrow as he stared at Nygma in hatred.

Either Nygma was crazy ...or just plain annoying.

He had a fake audience of cardboard people set up around him, Oswald and Ace watched from behind a couple of thee fake humans as he acted like he was hosting a game show.

"Oswald?"

"Hm?"

Ace looked at him "What are we watching here, exactly?" she asked him as a Riddler Henchmen held cardboard cameras and such pointing them at Nygma.

Oswald sighed "He used to host a game in the narrows. Now unfortunately his henchmen have to be the special guests" he told her and rolled his eyes "Apparently, he is saving a special spot of honor for the Dark Knight."

Ace looked down to the set where a cardboard cut out with the words; Dark Knight painted on it was in an electric chair.

"He truly is annoying."

Oswald simply nodded as he looked out at Nygma "And was once a ...friend. But, I agree one hundred percent with you" he told her as he looked down where Nygma was chatting on about riddles.

After thirty minutes of watching a goon of Nygma's get tortured she looked to Oswald "When can we strike?" she asked him, he looked down at her and made a face.

"Since you are so eager to start, what Don't you do this one on your own?"

Ace just stared at him before grinning, she took an umbrella from a henchman and chuckled "My pleasure, Pangy" she said and snuck down along the aisle and cardboard cutouts.

"No! I didn't mean for you to actually go alone" he hissed at her, she ignored him and he groaned as he put his head on his hand "Why are some teenagers so ..hard headed? Why couldn't I of wound up with one that actually listens!"

Ace walked down until she was behind a henchman of Nygma's, she reached up and choked him out with the umbrella before taking his Riddler hat off of his head and putting it on her own.

"Thank you! Now for our next guest of honor, Dark Knight himself!"

Ace walked towards Nygma who didn't bother to turn around and she smirked.

"Hey, Nygma! What goes up as rain comes down?!" Ace shouted marching up to him, he turned around.

"That is the stupidest riddle, it's a umbrell-"

Ace opened the umbrella and pushed down into Nygma, shutting it so his head was trapped inside, she looked up to where Oswald was laughing and grinned as she looked at Riddler.

His hat fell off of his head as he fought to get out of the umbrella, he flung it to the side and he was looking at her over his glasses.

"Why you little-"

He swung his cane at her and she grabbed it one handed "Wak-Wak, Eddie. I think you need to apologize for being rude" she said pulling his cane towards her, she laughed as he stumbled forward, she caught him by the tie and pulled him towards her.

He looked at her and she grinned at him "Lighten up, Eddie" she said and pushed him to the floor.

Something flashed in her head and she put a hand to it, her view went in a circle and ...Scarecrow sat where Nygma had. She gasped as she looked down at him.

Scarecrow laughed "What can a little girl do to me? I am terrified" he taunted. Ace just looked down at him.

She brought her hands down and punched him before straddling him and pounding his face "Aargh!" She yelled out as she beat him. Her hands tightened around his throat as he gasped for air.

Oswald's eyes widened not finding it so funny anymore as he realized what she was doing.

"Agatha!"

Oswald made his way down towards her and grabbed her by wrapping his arms around her, Nygma held his hands towards his face and watched blood drip from his nose.

"Aggie? Agatha! Stop!" Oswald shouted as he bent down in front of her holding her by her arms, she looked up at him terrified.

"Oswald?" she whispered and looked towards where Scarecrow had been to find Nygma, his face bleeding, she stood up quickly and held onto Oswald's shoulder.

"Oh no"

Nygma held up a hand as he stood up "I will stop trying to kill you. Please just get her out of here, Penguin" he said stumbling towards a chair. Oswald looked between Nygma and Ace before grabbing her.

Oswald nodded to Nygma "Good to know" he told him before helping Ace outside the building, he let her lean on a wall and he looked down at her.

"What the hell was that! It was supposed to be a joke, not actually trying to murder him, Aggie!"

Ace looked up at him "I'm sorry. I-I thought I saw Scarecrow" she said in terror as she looked down at her hands. The hands that almost killed a criminal.

"Oh God, I am so sorry."

Oswald looked down at her before putting a hand on her shoulder "Its alright. Its alright, we just got to find a way to cure you of the fear toxin. Until then we are doing nothing else against other criminals, you might kill them otherwise" he teased before letting her stand on her own "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine" was her short reply.

He patted her back "Good, lets go."

She stared at him "Oswald?" she asked, he turned to her and she gave a small smile "What is hard to find but easy to lose, worth more than gold but costs less than a penny?"

He groaned "Another riddle? Um-" he thought for a second "Trust?" He guessed making her smile a full smile.

"No. A friend."

He looked at her before giving her his own smile "Come on, kid. Lets go home" he told her before turning and walking ahead of her with his henchmen in front of him.

She sighed and started to walk after him, home she thought as she passed by a alley.

A hand came over Ace's mouth and dragged her into the alley, she fought but something was held over her mouth, a rag? It took her under and knocked her out.

Oswald looked back and seen Ace missing, he stopped in his tracks. His heart beat fast as he looked where she had been.

"Ace?" he asked and was met with silence as he walked back the way they had came, he stepped on something and looked down to see a black ring, he bent down and picked it up, she had been wearing it earlier.

No.

"AGAATHAAA!"

(Scarecrow's Toxin is really affecting her, don't you agree? Don't Forget to watch Gotham, press Vote and send love to Riddler!- A.C.)


	18. The Beginning:(12-05 14:33:00)

In a dark room tied back to back sat a girl with dark hair and an older woman with curly light hair, the woman was wide awake while the girl was coming too.

"Ace?" the woman whispered and kicked at the young girl heels that were near hers.

Ace's eyes opened and she seen candles lighting the room "Selina?" she whispered with a groggy tone as she blinked her eyes open "Where are we?" Selina looked over her shoulder at the girl.

The doors opened and a bright light lit them up, five people stood in the doorway one in a purple suit, he cackled "HaHaHa! Finally you are both awake, now the party can begin!"

Selina grew annoyed "Jeremiah" she said in a tone as he walked towards them "What a surprise, I thought you would never show that ugly face again."

He tsked at her words "Oh, Ms. Kyle. Your words hurt me" he said and faked wiping away a tear "I had to wait until you were both awake. Where would be the fun in hurting one and not the other at the same time" he sighed and shook his head placing his hands on his hips "Seems unfair to me."

Selina looked to see a girl with pale makeup and red lipstick, her style was a black dress with red paint slung on it to look like blood, Selina cocked her head to the side "Well, well. Looks like you did replace Ecco. But, Ecco was such more prettier."

J frowned at Selina "Ecco? She was one of a kind. This here is Joy, she is as beautiful but not as loyal" he said as he looked back at the girl "I had to try my best didn't I?"

"Looks like your best isn't enough."

Selina smirked at J as he threw her a look of hatred "Alright Ms. Kyle, looks like you are first to try the new shock machine" he said laughing as one of his goons grabbed her and untied her from the chair leaving her in handcuffs "It just might put a smile on that face."

"Hey!" Ace yelled and kicked a goon in his privacy space, as she tried to stand J pushed her back down leaving his hands on her arms, he looked down at her and her eyes widened.

"Ahh, Ms. Ace. We were so rudely interrupted by Cobblepot. Speaking of I need to talk with him. I didn't really get the chance after the building exploded, honestly I wanted to apologize but ...it was a bad time."

Ace stared at him as she realized what he just said, he was the reason the art museum had exploded. He framed Nygma. Maybe I need to send him an apology card for beating his face in?

"You framed Nygma?"

J grinned, "Well, he had an explosive set in the back room of the building, I didn't see where it would do any damage. So, I just helped him out a small bit" he told her.

"Oswald will kill you," she said, holding her head high, he smiled as he looked down at her.

"Over what? Me hurting a street kid? Honestly, do you really think he cares about you?" J said shaking his head and rolling his eyes "Why would a criminal kill another criminal over a street rat? It sounds like a bad joke."

She stared up at him "He does care. I've seen it."

J grinned "Then why hasn't he came and rescued you?" His words hit Ace like bricks, he laughed seeing he had gotten to her. "Glad, Glee and Grin. Watch her and make sure she goes nowhere. If she even tries to move, well, you know what to do" J said as the girl, Joy, took his arm "Me and Joy are going to go and see a certain bird."

The Dark Knight looked down at the thugs in front of Wayne Manor, they were setting up a purple and green box that read Happy Birthday on the huge tag. He scowled as he looked down at them, Alfred spoke through the communicator.

"Sir, I do believe these men are trying to send you a gift. Should you send them a thank you letter?"

That caused Bruce to smirk "Don't worry, Alfred. It is being sent now" he told him as he flew down from the tree and took out one of the thugs, the one to his left swung a baseball bat at him, Bruce grabbed it and sent a punch flying into his face making him stumble backward. The one to his right yelled and charged him.

Bruce flung a batarang at him making him hit the ground, the one on his left stood back up and Bruce sent a kick to his head knocking him to the ground.

Bruce opened the lid on the present and waited for something to happen, it didn't. He looked inside the box to find a simple address for him to follow, he picked it up as the thug got on his feet and charged at him.

Bruce simply held his hand out and grabbed the thug by his throat, he brought the thug towards him and narrowed his eyes "Where is he?" he asked with a threatening tone.

"Follow the... address. You will find him there."

Bruce bashed the thugs head into the box leaving him to pass out, he looked down at the card and walked back to Wayne manor.

"Alfred, do you know anything about an old mill?"

Oswald sat in Cobblepot manor looking at the fireplace in his study, he was trying to think of who would take Agatha. He didn't think she would just up and leave, even if she wanted to. She would tell him first or something.

A commotion from downstairs had Oswald up and waddling to the stairs, he looked down over the railing to see his henchmen gathered around someone that had entered the door. Oswald waddled down the stairs and towards the entrance before stopping and giving a glare.

"Jeremiah. What brings you to my home."

J smiled as he looked at Oswald "Pangy! It has been ages. Oh don't mind me, I am just here to deliver a message" he told the henchmen as Oswald rolled his eyes.

"From who?"

"From me" J said with a grin, "Now, I am not asking for much but seeing as how much time you have been spending with the little fear demon, I know you will give me anything I want to get her back."

Oswald just stood there trying to figure out what he was talking about "I beg your pardon?"

J rolled his eyes "Ace. Short, brown hair, eighteen. You made her famous!" He told Oswald as the girl beside him laughed "I want you to come to the old Keaton Mill tonight at eight. If you don't, well ...something terrible will happen."

Oswald glared at J "Don't you dare lay a finger on her. I will kill you" as he said it the blade popped open on the end of his umbrella and he placed it on J's neck.

J smiled "You shouldn't have told me no. Selina shouldn't have told me no. The ones that say no will pay" he said with a wink "Be there or be square. It will be a event to die for" he laughed.

As Oswald threw the umbrella as the door closed and the umbrella got stuck in the door. Oswapd let out a yell that made every thug near him step backwards.

"I am going to kill him, then I am going to kill her for not attacking him!"

Selina walked down the hallway with two of J's goons holding her by the shoulders. She glanced to the right to see a bathroom, she looked up to see cameras lining the hallways.

Selina doubled over holding her stomach "Sorry boys. I really need to use the restroom" she said in hurt tone and looked up at the one to her right "If you are going to torture me, do you really want the chance of me throwing up on you both?"

The goons looked at each other before nodding at the other, the one to her right looked down at her "Alright. Goof will go with you, I will wait out here" he told her as the one to her left took her arm, Goof led her into the restroom and shut the door behind them.

Spotting a window above the toilet she smirked "Wrong move, dumbo" she said, as he turned around she threw a kick to his head and caught him by the arms. She dragged him towards the toilet in the bathroom and dumped his head in it before going towards the window.

She stood on top of the toilet and raised the window up, she looked towards the door thinking about Ace but shook her head as she exited the restroom using the window.

"I promise I will be back."

Bruce glided down to where the signal was on top of the G.C.P.D, he landed on the roof and didn't see Gordon or Harvey. Instead he saw a person he had not expected.

"Cobblepot."

Oswald turned towards the Dark Knight with a look of hatred before finally giving a worried look "Don't worry, I am not here for a friendly conversation. It is about a friend of ours" he simply said as he leaned on his umbrella "Jeremiah Velaska."

The name made Bruce tense up.

"What about him?" Bruce said in his dark voice, Penguin hesitated before looking at him.

"He has a friend of mine ...Agatha. Look, I know we have had our ..fights, but Aggie is eighteen, I know I should have just pushed her away like everyone else but, even villains have hearts sometimes" Penguin said and scratched the back of his neck in nervousness "He said because me and Selina Kyle told him no we would pay. I am terrified to know of what he will do to Agatha."

Bruce looked at Cobblepot and stared for a moment, this man was a criminal. This man was teaching Agatha the ways of a criminal worse than Selina had. Was he really about to help Oswald Cobblepot save Ace?

The answer...?

"I will help you. But, it changes nothing, you are still wanted by the G.C.P.D."

Oswald smiled leaning on his cane "And I will happily go back to Blackgate Penitentiary if you help me save my friend" he told the Dark Knight with a smile "I swear."

Bruce might of bought what Oswald was saying but, secretly ...he had his fingers crossed behind his back with a smirk.

(Of course he isn't going back to Blackgate, Penguin has ideas. Don't Forget to watch Gotham, press Vote and send love to the Dark Knight! (Eh, sometimes)- A.C.)


	19. The Beginning:(12-05 14:33:10)

"So, what do we do first? Electric Shock or how about the Jack 'N Tha Box?"

"Hey man, J said not to hurt her. She is the main event of his plan" the thug told the other as they watched over Ace, she looked bored and scared. Other than the two thugs' conversation all she had to think about was what was happening to Selina.

"Hey, kid. What do you think about this Dark Knight that is wonderin' around?" the one thug who had mentioned the Jack in the Box said, she seriously did not want to know what was in the box.

She looked up at him with no emotion "I think he is a lunatic" she said simply as she looked at them both with a straight face.

They laughed "J is obsessed with him. We honestly don't know why" the same one said as the door opened and a thug ran in looking like he was panicking, this got the other two to walk towards him.

"Hey man, what is it?"

"Selina Kyle escaped. She said she had to use the bathroom, her and Goof went in and ..Goof was knocked out inside with his head in the toilet while the window was open."

Ace looked amused, she said she would never use that excuse, she thought then it occurred to her what he had just said. Selina left me? Why would she leave me? Ace thought as she looked at the thugs.

"Man, the boss is going to be pissed."

They all three looked at Ace who's eyes widened "What?" she asked them, the one thug who had walked in pulled out a phone and dialed a number as the other two walked behind Ace's chair and made sure the restraints were on her tight.

"You were trained by her, you could pull anything off at any second" one told her and she rolled her eyes and looked up to the ceiling where a vent was, she thought she saw something in it for a moment.

Must of been a rat, she thought.

But, as she focused on it she saw it wasn't big enough to be a rat, she had to grin.

"Don't worry boys, I couldn't get out of this if I tried" she said as the vent came off, she raised an eyebrow "However I don't think you three will get out of this either."

That caught their attention making them look up as a black cladded figure came crashing down on top of one.

A car pulled up in front of the Keaton Mill and Oswald Cobblepot got out of the front passenger seat, he waddled to the entrance using his umbrella as a cane, he turned back to his men and simply said; "Wait until I give the signal to bring his gift in."

He walked into the abandoned mill and seen it was dimly lit, there was odd clown things piled up in corners and on the walls, he frowned at it as he walked through the mill and towards a main office where the door was open "J?" he called as he knocked on the wall beside the door, he walked inside.

J was sitting in the chair to the main office, he had his hands together on top of his stomach looking at the wall, it held a carnival poster on it.

"Did you know, I come from circus folk" he said as he looked at the poster with a glare "Or maybe, I came from ...oh I don't know, a rich family in Metropolis? Keystone?" J turned to Oswald and cocked his head to the side, he was starting to grin "What do you think?"

"I think you should tell me where Ace is" Oswald ordered as he looked at the clown-ish man with a glare "I have what you wanted."

J sighed as he smiled and leaned back in his seat "Then, where is it? Let me see it" he told Oswald as he raised an eyebrow "Old friend, remember when you tried to demand me to give people more time to get out of Gotham? When you demanded money?" J looked to the poster again.

"Why are you bringing this up?" Oswald asked suspiciously.

J leaned forward in his seat looking up at Cobblepot "Consider this ...a little gift" he said simply and clapped his hands together signaling something- or someone.

Oswald turned around to see two of J's goons holding the present Oswald had picked up for J. Oswald took a step back in surprise.

"You see, I know when someone enters my property. I know when someone enters my home. And I know you brought me a gift, I hate surprises so I had my men take it from your men. I hope you don't mind."

J's men were holding Bruce Wayne with force as he looked at the two men in front of him.

J leaned back into his seat again and laughed "What do you think the G.C.P.D will do if they find out you kidnapped Bruce Wayne? Arkham Asylum ...or another ten years at Blackgate?" J said and crossed his arms "Maybe I could raise Agatha as a henchwoman. She seems more capable of helping me than the idiots I hire"

Selina dropped down from the vent and took out a J goon with ease before grabbing her whip and grabbing a goons legs pulling him down onto his back, she turned and grabbed the other by his hand with the whip knocking the gun from his hand, she slashed at his face with it and started punching him until she uppercut him knocking him out, she turned as the other charged her and grabbed him by the waist sending him up and over her back.

He landed on his stomach and Selina slashed the whip at him wrapping it around his neck, she looked at Ace and said "Want to do the honors?"

"Kind of tied up at the moment."

Selina smiled and put a kick to the goons head making him go unconscious before walking forward and slicing the ropes that held Ace with her claws, Ace got up from the chair and shook the ropes from her.

"They said you left."

"I had to go back to my apartment and get my things before I could save you" Selina simply said as she walked to the door and opened it up using a code she had stolen from J's henchwoman Joy who was knocked out outside.

Ace frowned as she followed Selina out into the hall "I guess I shouldn't of thought you would leave me" she said as they passed a lot of doors, Selina scanned them as they walked by.

"We may fight a lot, Ace. But, I would never leave you in this kind of predicament" she told her before finding the door she wanted, she used the code and entered the room smiling "Much better."

Sitting before them was wads of cash in one room stacked sky high, Ace raised an eyebrow as Selina walked forward and grabbed a bag filling it up with money.

"Are you seriously doing this right now?"

Selina laughed "Sweet Ace, when life hands you money ...you grab it and take what you can get" Selina said as she tied the bag with a smile, she turned to Ace "Then you go out and buy some weapons to rob a jewelry store."

Ace just stared at her in confusion "What?" she asked, Selina blinked then shook her head, realizing what she was doing.

"Er, sorry. Let's go."

Selina had moments where what she says sometimes either comes out wrong or only makes sense to her, maybe it was because of what Ivy had given Bruce to save Selina's life all those years ago? Or maybe Selina was going crazy.

Whichever it was, it was really getting annoying.

They ran down the hallway and stopped when they saw the main office, there was J goons guarding the door. Quickly they ducked down and hid behind a table.

Ace sighed "How are we going to get passed them and to the door?" she asked Selina who was looking around frantically, and Ace's breathe stopped hearing something.

Or rather someone yelling.

"I would rather go back to Blackgate than work with you, blame whatever you want to on me, just leave Ace alone, she has done nothing to you!"

"Maybe we could-"

She held a hand up to Selina "Shh. Is that Penguin" she asked as Selina lend an ear to listen in.

"Perhaps not. You see when you and Selina both rejected me ...it hurt like a bad breakup. My heart got crushed, I cried for three days, ate some chocolate, watched sappy romance movies, then plotted revenge" a voice said and chuckled "I need her so I can help you and Ms. Kyle see that I am wanting to protect Gotham."

"You are wanting everyone to go insane. Not all criminals are that crazy, who would we take hostage? Rob? They wouldn't be scared they would just laugh about it" Oswald said, she could hear his voice getting more annoyed and angry "Your way is the wrong way."

"No. No. No. My way is the right way, Pangy Wangy. I want Gotham to be happy."

"And Bruce Wayne? What are you going to do with him?"

J laughed loudly "Why I am going to put a smile on his face, maybe we can still be pals if he is as crazy as I am."

Selina tensed up "Alright, I say we attack" she said and started to stand up. Ace pulled her back down seeing a fire extinguisher, she looked back at the goons and a smile came to her face.

"No. I got a better idea."

Cobblepot stood in the main office with Bruce Wayne being held down by the goons, Cobblepot held his umbrella gun up ready to shoot at the goons or J whichever decided to make the first move.

"Come on, Pangy. Think for a moment. Gotham, new and improved. All criminals can have what they want, the City running wild" J said smiling, Oswald just looked at him.

"No thank you. I would rather have to fight the Dark Knight than have to fight my fellow criminals. Some of us do not hesitate to kill" Oswald said simply and looked at the thugs "This is my City and I will not let you destroy her."

J started to say something when a loud noise came from down the hall, he stood up and looked at his goons "Go. Now, see what that noise was" he demanded as he took hold of Bruce Wayne's shoulder, the goons ran off and Oswald glared at J.

"I might be a gentleman but, I am still the Penguin."

As he took a shot at J's shoulder, J laughed and held his arm, the goons down the hall yelled, Bruce stood up and made a run for it as Oswald held his umbrella up to block J's dagger he was swinging around.

And now, the fight begins.

(The Gentleman of Crime has his ways. Don't Forget to watch Gotham, press Vote and send love to J Goons! See you Monday- A.C.)


	20. The Beginning:(12-05 14:33:25)

Selina swung her whip and grabbed a shelf down the hall making it fall over, she got into a pounce position as Ace held one of Selina's knives in her hand. They could hear the goons coming their way, Ace flung the knife at the fire extinguisher on the wall making it go off.

The goons coughed as the smoke-like stuff got into their eyes, Selina attacked them and Ace waited for her to finish.

Hearing a shot from the main office, Ace ditched Selina and ran to it. She rounded the corner and seen Oswald blocking a punch that J had swung at him, without thinking she ran up and jumped on J's back trying to get his mind off of Oswald.

J just laughed "Oh, I really like you" he said with a loud laugh before throwing Ace off and into the desk, she landed on it and rolled over it. She laid on her back for a moment feeling pain.

Slowly standing up, something sharp was thrown at J but he dodged it, she turned to the door to see the Dark Knight himself.

She stood up as she watched him fight J along with Oswald, she was shocked to see Oswald more focused on hurting J than hurting the Dark Knight. Selina ran into the room and towards Ace grabbing her hand.

"What are you doing?"

Selina literally dragged Ace by the hand "We have to get out of here" she said dragging Ace, who was tugging at her hand trying to make Selina let go.

"No, I want to see the Dark Knight in action. I want to see my kidnapper get his ass kicked."

Selina shook her head, "The building is going to explode at any moment, come on. I warned him already" she told Ace, Ace figured by him she meant the Dark Knight.

"But, where is Bruce?"

"Safe. He's a grown man and can handle himself."

Ace and Selina ran out into the parking lot, they looked around and found Penguin henchmen knocked out right next to Penguins car, as they made a run for it something swung around and got Ace in the back of the head as the building exploded behind them.

Ace went to the ground first with Selina following behind, the explosion made impact with Selina causing her to go unconscious.

"Agatha!?"

"Selina?"

"HaHahAHA!"

Cobblepot Manor was silent as Oswald placed a washcloth on Agatha's forehead, he watched as she breathed and the gash on her cheek started to bleed again.

He wiped away the blood as her eyes opened and looked at him, he moved his hand away frowning, the first words out of her mouth was a realization:

"He tried to kill me."

The realization dawned on her as she looked at Oswald who had to look away, he felt like it was his fault, maybe he should have kept a better eye on her.

"The Dark Knight is making sure J is back in Arkham Asylum by sunrise."

Ace stayed quiet as she watched Oswald "How did I get here? The last thing I remember is blacking out while me and Selina were trying to escape the mill" she said as she tried to remember the events.

Oswald looked at the bloody water in the bowl "I saved you. The Dark Knight was checking on Selina, I took that as my chance to grab you and get out" he said as he wiped away the blood on her cheek and motioned to Olga to get him more water "I couldn't go to Blackgate and leave you hurt and alone."

She stayed still as he removed the wash clothes from her head and winced seeing a gash along her forehead "Why waste your time with me? Besides, you could have hurt yourself saving me, it wasn't worth it."

"Why not, we are a family now. And I may hobble but, I am not a weakling" he chuckled as Olga sat down a bowl in the place of the old one, he dipped the wash cloth and squeezed it "I had to save you, I couldn't let J destroy you. Your smart, Aggie. Not insane."

He placed the wet rag over her forehead and simply said "Birds of a feather flock together, sweetheart."

"What does that even mean?" she asked as she tried to think it over "I can't really figure it out."

Oswald smiled a small smile "Birds of a feather flock together means that people of similar interests, background, or ideas will often have similar thoughts or values and tend to stick together, do you not think that is us? We are a lot alike" he pointed out to her and put his hand on top of hers "We both love Gotham, but we dislike the same people ...just about. We both lost our parents, we are odd. And somehow this city brought us together."

She sat up and the washcloth fell to her lap, she picked it up and saw blood on it. She looked to Oswald "I guess we are" she said and smiled at him "Thank you for everything, I know your original plan wasn't to help me."

He looked her in the eyes "It wasn't. But, I have changed in many ways over the years. You made me remember what it is like to have a friend, and not always be at war with someone. I should be the one thanking you."

She shook her head "No. Don't do that" she said standing up and holding a hand to her head, she laughed as the room quit spinning "I'm just a simple thief, I did not expect to have a friend who was once the mayor of Gotham."

He watched her walk upstairs and he smiled a bit as he watched her, please stay this way and don't turn into one of us, he silently begged as he stood up and walked to his study.

Edward Nygma was a smart man.

He had the perfect plan, get rid of the other criminals and prove to Gotham he was the smartest. Prove to Gotham he was smarter than this dark knight.

And never let anyone know he was attacked by an eighteen year old girl.

Imagine if that got out?

Edward shook his head as he walked into his room and turned on the TV, he sat down at his desk and put down the sack of food he had stolen from Paulie's diner, he took out his burger and fries sitting them down in front of him.

That is when he heard it, words he couldn't get through his head, it took him a moment to grasp what was being said.

"Today on GNN, is J the Dark Knight's enemy? Looks like J is back to trying to blow up Gotham. What happened to the Riddler?"

His brain stopped for the first time in a long time, his temper grew and the next thought on his mind was ...awful..

No! I am the smartest man in Gotham! Nobody else, he threw his drink at the TV and let out a yell, "I'll kill him if I have to prove it."

She should know better. She was just almost blown up by J, she was scared half to death, she could have been killed if she had stayed in that mill longer than she had.

In her room in Cobblepot Manor, Ace looked at the vial that Ivy had given her for her birthday, the fear toxin cure. She poured it into a glass and took out a different vial of the original she had kept, she poured it into the glass with it.

Ace focused as she mixed the ingredients together, she raised the vial up to look through it. It was a good blue streaky color mixed with red and yellow. She gulped as she looked at it.

Then, she drank it all and gasped before falling to her knees.

Ace grabbed hold of her dresser as her mind swirled around and she tried to focus on her room. The fiery images were gone and she felt ...nothing. She knew then that it was going to change.

No more fear, no more fearing Scarecrow, J, the G.C.P.D or anybody in this world. She knew what she had to do, she had to start by showing Gotham she wasn't scared, start by showing everyone she had no fears.

Now she would be ready for Scarecrow. Now she can get revenge on J. Ace decided then that no criminal will ever touch her.

Not again.

(More trouble coming? Don't Forget to watch Gotham, press Vote and send love to Gotham City. What is Ace up to now?- A.C.)


	21. The Beginning:(12-05 14:33:45)

Bruce Wayne sat in his nightclub watching people dance and carry on. His eyes were looking for any excuse to leave, maybe he could see the signal soon?

"Bruce?"

He turned his gaze towards the voice and seen Selina. A smile was put on his face when he saw her, she crossed her arms "I never got the chance to thank you for the other day" she said as she looked at him with a small glare "You saved me and Ace."

He nodded "If it hadn't of been for Cobblepot's big mouth, I would have never had enough time to get changed into my suit" he told her and crossed his arms "I believe you should be thanking him as well."

Selina just stared at Bruce as he said this, maybe Cobblepot does actually care for the girl as much as I do, Selina thought as a small smile was placed on her face.

"I may just have to thank him" she looked out the widow and seen a light shining "I believe that's your cue-" she stopped talking when she turned back to see he was already gone.

"Men."

Ace slowly let herself fall onto her feet on the balcony of the apartment, she raised up to her full height and picked the lock on the glass door, she slid it open and walked into the apartment.

Jack Ryder was asleep as she locked the door behind her, she walked towards him and slowly smiled as she grabbed him by his shoulders and hauled him up out of his bed.

Thankfully, he was in his pajamas.

He looked wide eyed as he stared at her "Who are you?" he asked scared, she smiled twistedly as she looked at him.

"Jack Ryder, I'm Ace. The street kid you wrote about" Ace said letting him go and crossed her arms looking up at the journalist "I need a favor."

He gulped as he looked down at the teenager "What kind of favor? I swear I didn't mean to write that into the Paper, my editor wanted something more-" she rolled her eyes at his talk.

"I need you to tell Jonathan Crane I want to meet him."

"H-how?"

She laughed "Your a Gotham Reporter, eh? You will figure it out, Jacky" she told him and patted him on his head before pushing him into his bed and walking towards the door.

"And as for the article ...I kind of liked it."

Jack Ryder sat on his bed hearing a teenage girls laugh as she left the building, he was frightened. He was shocked.

He was so going to make a newspaper article of this!

Oswald sat in his study looking at the box sitting on the floor beside him, he was half excited and half afraid, he was not the kind of person to give gifts. Giving a gift to his mother had been easy, giving a gift to an eighteen year old female?

That scared him.

I hope she likes it, I got it all the way from England, ordered it myself. Ugh, maybe I should have just given her money? His thoughts roamed as his foot tapped on the floor under his desk.

Better late than ever, morons I make deals with never get stuff to me on time, he thought as he looked at the clock. He had told Ace to be back by six, he was anxious to give her the present.

The door to his study opened and Ace came in smiling "Hey boss man" she said with a chuckle, he grinned.

"I am glad to see you up and walking around. I thought with that head injury you would be out for awhile."

She chuckled nervously "Me too. But, I, uh, feel fine. Why did you want to see me? You never request certain times" she said and crossed her arms looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

Penguin grabbed the box and sat it on his desk "Happy birthday! It finally arrived" he said and leaned back in his chair rested his chin on his hand while resting his elbows on the arm of the chair. "Open it, I want to know if you like it."

She smiled as she took off the lid and froze when she saw what was inside, her eyes bugged out.

"Dude, how much did this cost?"

Inside was a white feathered coat. It was beautiful, she picked it up out of the box and seen it would hang down around her knees, Oswald grinned as he watched her face look at it in amazement.

"Put it on. I ordered it just for you, do not ask how. I made a deal and when he told me about it, I knew I had to get it for you."

She slowly put it on over her leather vest shirt and black jeans, it hung down around her knees and felt soft on the inside, it had a shirt collar around the neck while the sleeves cling to her arms.

Ace looked at Oswald "I love it. Its so beautiful and it's really soft" she said as she hugged it to herself, the feathers tickled her face.

He crossed his arms "I'm happy you love it" he admitted as he watched her admire it "I figured a Dark Quail would need something to wear."

"You honestly are sticking with that, aren't you?"

Oswald smiled proudly "I like it. Deal with it."

Selina held a pearl necklace she had stolen from Gotham Jewels, Ace had helped her steal it months ago. She tightened her hand around the necklace and sighed.

Just realize Selina that you lost your helper to a Penguin, she scolded herself as she looked down at the necklace.

If you realize it, you won't feel the same, the other half of her brain told her.

Selina threw down the pearls on the table and put her hands to her head "Please shut up," she said in a tone to her head, she was getting annoyed at herself.

The TV was flashing bright lights, it made her head hurt worse than it already was, she grabbed the remote and went to turn it off when it caught her eye.

GNN was talking about Jack Ryder.

Her breathing stopped when she saw the headline. That little idiot is going to get herself killed.

Jim Gordon was looking through files at the G.C.P.D, there was one missing and it was on Agatha Elven. He frowned as he wondered where it had went. He scratched his head and shook his head before looking for a folder on Jeremiah Valeska so he could write down his newest crime.

The police radio started up and "Commissioner Gordon!" Was yelled, Gordon stood up and grabbed the walkie talkie replying to let the officer know he was listening.

"What is it?"

"It's-it's J ...he escaped transport to Arkham, he took out two men and I fled the scene until he left."

Gordon just stared at the radio before standing up and walking out of his office, he opened the door and looked down at the officer's who were looking up at him.

"Everyone. Be on the look out for Jeremiah Valeska. Harvey, find Agatha Elven, after what the Dark Knight told us... She is not safe."

One thing Ace knew, is that she was going to Have to keep Oswald Cobblepot away from the TV or he would have her head, if he didn't kill her he would lock her up in the Manor Basement.

And throw away the key!

Ace sat with Oswald in the back of the car, he was taking her somewhere, she didn't know where or why did she was scared that he had seen the TV and knew what she was doing.

Or going to do.

Her nerves were up and she ran her hands down her knees as the henchman drove down the road, Oswald looked over at her with a confused look as he seen her looking a little nervous "Are you alright? You look scared half to death" he said with a laugh.

It caused Ace to smile "Nah, I'm alright" she assured him as she looked out at Gotham passing by "I just feel unwell is all."

Oswald smiled "Don't worry, we are just going somewhere for a short second and then you may come back to the manor and sleep, rest, whatever you need," he said with a chuckle, she looked at him curiously before looking back out the window.

The car passed tall buildings, the old Narrows land, she even seen the building where she always meets Zsasz to give him his goods for Selina that she would steal for him. Ace couldn't tell where they were going, she was confused.

The car was beginning to slow and Ace got an uneasy feeling as the car slowed down even more, when it came to a stop they were in front of an old building. Penguin got out of the car before Ace, and as she was opening her door and stepping out he was already to her side and helping her out of the car.

The old building was an old Pharmacy, it hadn't of been hit by the terror ten years ago. Oswald smiled as he held his arm out to her "Come on, I got the address from an old friend" he told her as she took his arm in hers, they walked around the old building and came to a stop at the side of the Pharmacy.

Old boards that were blackened from fire sat there, an old chimney sat on top of it, front steps faced the two, an old fence had been torn down and a cement driveway still led up to the front yard. A swing sat in the yard, still hanging from the tree.

Ace's heart dropped and she let go of Oswald's arm, she stepped towards the burned down home slowly as she put her hands to her chest looking around. Her eyes couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Oswald walked beside her and looked at the mess of blackened wood and crashed down roof, some chimney bricks had fallen while the fireplace was still seeable. He looked at Ace and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Welcome home."

"On today's news, Gotham Chronicle reported Jack Ryder wrote an article about Agatha Elven who had reportedly beaten up some of the Scarecrow's henchmen months ago, he said that Ace wants to meet Scarecrow and have a talk. Is there bad blood between these two? Or is it just a usual feud? Next up on GNN, Jeremiah Valeska captured by the Dark Knight and sent to Arkham, again."

Scarecrow stared at the TV that his goons were watching and his blood boiled "That little brat is calling me out?" he spoke to his goons in anger "If she thinks she can scare me, she isn't that smart. This time if I cannot get her to see fear, she has no reason to live!"

He turned away from his goons and walked to his bag of fear toxins and his tanks of fear toxin, I will show her, he thought as he grabbed one of the tanks and walked to his basement of the hideout.

(Uh-Oh. Calling out Scarecrow? Nice Way to Anger Him. And follow my Twitter:HiredByCoblepot Instagram: HiredByCobblepot for There will Be Light News Updates.

Don't Forget to watch Gotham, press Vote and send love to Jack Ryder!- A.C.)


	22. The Beginning:(12-05 14:33:56)

"It's still here? Why didn't they build over it?"

Ace walked towards the house and Penguin watched her as she walked up the steps and stepped onto the old boards mumbling things.

"Ace?"

She started moving boards and he waddled towards her as quick as possible "I promised the person I got the address form we wouldn't move anything" he shouted at her as he walked up the old steps.

"It has to still be here, I know it is."

She was flinging away boards as quick as she could, she wasn't stopping. Not until she saw what she was looking for.

Falling to her knees she picked up the old ballerina jewelry box and Oswald watched in surprise as she flipped it open, she reached in and grabbed a necklace. It was silver and held a crystal pendant, the wind picked up and blew her hair from her face as Oswald stood behind her watching silently, the wind blowing at him.

"Did you know my father worked for Wayne Enterprises?" she asked loudly as the wind blew "He knew Thomas Wayne very well. We were almost respected in this town then the town blew up. We had my birthday in the kitchen over there, my parents had a party planned. Since the bridges were blown up my grandparents couldn't come see me. My parents tried to make me happy. Then Gotham was almost blown off the map."

Oswald could hear her voice breaking, he walked forward to where he was standing behind her "You never talk much about it."

"I didn't even talk to Selina about it. I wanted it to stay in the past."

Oswald placed a hand on her shoulder as he looked down at her "I may have done bad things. I may still do bad things. But, I can guarantee I will always be here for you, Aggie." She looked up at him and stood up as fast as she could, she walked away from him.

"Don't tell me that. Every single time someone tells me that they either leave me or get angry at me. I don't want you to-" she stopped as she looked out at the water behind the house, she closed her eyes and could feel the tears threatening to fall "I don't want to lose another person I give a damn about."

Oswald stared at her from where he stood on the ashes of the wood "What were you really going to tell me?" he asked making her turn around to face him, he was looking at her curiously "I want to know."

She stared at him "Mr. Cobblepot. I cannot tell you anything. I do want you to know though, that I am grateful for everything you have done for me, even taking me to my childhood home. I just don't want you to hate me. You have given me a roof over my head, nice clothing and anything I could ask for. After tonight, you will no longer have to worry about me" she said softly as she looked at him.

Oswald looked her in the face trying to get a answer, all he got was a distant look "Don't talk like you are about to do something stupid. I don't want to lose you, you have taught me what it is like to have a friend again" he told her as he frowned and looked down at his shoes "I could never hate you."

"Then remember those words."

Jim Gordon stood looking at the TV in the G.C.P.D where Jack Ryder was talking about his encounter with Ace and how she had snuck into his home to threaten his life.

Jim raised an eyebrow when he heard the name Scarecrow.

Harvey Bullock walked up beside him and smiled sarcastically as he looked at the TV "Wishing you would have let me send the brat to Juvie now?" he asked Jim with a look. Jim glanced at him but turned his attention back to the TV.

"Harvey, do you believe everything you hear?"

"After being your partner for all these years? Hell no I don't."

Jim crossed his arms "Then maybe, Ace is not as bad as you think. There is something wrong here" he said as he stared at Jack Ryder on the screen.

Harvey just stared at him, then he held his flask out "Oh no. Hell no, we are not doing what I think you want to do" he said in a warning tone, Jim smiled with a laugh.

"Come on, Harvey. It won't hurt anything to talk to her. Plus she needs to know about J.. Besides I think you need the exersize" Jim told him and patted Harvey's stomach before walking away, HArvey glared at his back and ran after him.

"She only escapes because I suck at running. You have seen me through the years Jim, I run after food not teenagers."

Selina sat in Wayne Manor looking at the secret entrance to the BatCave, she crossed her leg over the other as Bruce entered the study and seen her, he didn't give a look of surprise instead he just looked annoyed.

"Are you going to keep sneaking into my home or are you eventually going to use the front door?"

She smiled as she sat up straight in his desk chair and looked at him, "But, I love being sneaky. You should've realized that by now, Bruce" she said as she stood up and walked in front of him "Have you seen the news?"

Bruce hung his jacket over the back of the chair and looked down at her "About a girl named Ace wanting to strike fear into Scarecrow? I think the whole City has heard by now" he told her and crossed his arms.

She scowled "This has to be Penguin's doing. That little bird is a bad influence on her" she complained as she stared at Bruce.

He smirked "And a cat burglar is a better influence?" he joked making Selina glare at him "Don't worry, Selina. I think she has hated Scarecrow before she found Penguin."

"It worries me. What if he kills her? Scarecrow, I mean."

"This is her decision. It isn't ours, she is an adult now."

Selina shook her head "I know. It's just while you were away, Ace is all I had to talk to and I actually raised her" she said and crossed her arms "I don't know how to feel not raising a kitten."

Bruce put his hands on her shoulders and slid them down her arms looking into her eyes "Feel free. Maybe free enough to come to my club tomorrow?" he asked with a smile. She looked up at him with a frown "What too soon?"

She nodded, "I'm still angry at you for leaving me" she told him, looking up into his eyes.

"Leave the past in the past? I know it isn't easy."

"It never is with you."

Sneaking out of Cobblepot Manor wasn't easy, but it was done.

Ace walked through downtown in the darkness, she went pass the G.C.P.D and took a right heading down to the old train yard, in her hand was a vial of the potion she had left that Ivy had helped her make, she wore the coat Oswald had gotten her and black leather pants with a white shirt.

Red Leather boots splashed in water puddles as she walked to the old train yard that was shut down, it was under the new Gotham roads.

"Crane?!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, she looked into the darkness before drinking the rest of the liquid from the vial she carried. She threw it to the ground with a smash and took her dagger out of the inside pocket of the coat.

"I want to speak with you, Jonathan. It's about us" she said with a smile "I know you hate that your toxin has no effect on me. I want to know if you have it in you to come out and face me. Or are you scared?" she looked around the darkness "Scared of me? Of my anti-toxin? This City?" she smirked "Facing your own fears-"

As she turned her face was met with a mist to the face of Fear Gas, Scarecrow watched as she pawed at her face, then stopped. She looked up at him and smirked as he watched in amazement.

"Surprise" she said with a chuckle as they stared each other down, then without warning, she rushed at Scarecrow and held up a dagger to stab him in the neck, he blocked her with his arm as he tried to push his toxin-filled gauntlet into her neck, she held his syringes at bay.

And it began.

"Will you go get me and Auntie Selina a brownie each form the plate? Thank you."

Selina watched little Barbara run to the plate on the counter before looking at Babs, she smiled "She is adorable. How did you and Gordon make someone that cute?" she asked as Babs raised a glass to her lips and raised an eyebrow.

"I had more work put in than Gordon, thank you very much."

Selina laughed as she sipped her wine "Honestly though, I never thought I would see you as a mother," she told Barbara as little Barbara ran back with two brownies, they took them from her and the little girl went back to her book she had been reading.

"I didn't think I would ever be a mother."

Selina looked at her with a frown "You are a good one. Better than I would be" she said and sighed as she dug into her brownie, Barbara frowned at Selina and shook her head.

"You have done your best with Ace. Some kids go the wrong way, and this is Gotham. There are only two decisions, be the criminal or be the victim."

Selina stood up and went to the refrigerator in the apartment grabbing wine, she filled up her glass and Barbara's "I know. I'm just worried, I feel like I am a mom. I don't like it" Selina jokes.

Barbara frowned "That feeling is the worst. Like when Jeremiah took Barbara. I was worried sick, if Gordon hadn't of saved her I probably would have killed him."

Barbara finished off her brownie and looked at Selina "You know ..This City is filled with more crime than before it was destroyed" Barbara Kean said holding her glass of wine, she turned to Selina and frowned "I am worried for my daughters' future. What am I going to do if someone attacks her? If she becomes a criminal?"

"She won't be a bad kid. I can see it in her, she is good" Selina told her and looked at the TV, Babs changed the channel and Selina saw a familiar looking face on the TV, she held her hand out stopping Babs from changing the channel.

Selina stared at the screen and her heart stopped completely seeing Gordon And Bullock on screen, little Babs yelled "Daddy!" Barbara stood up and looked Selina.

"Oh My God" Selina breathed.

"WHAT THE HELL IS SHE THINKING?!"

Penguin walked out of the empty room and waddled down the stairs "Where is she? Did any of you see her?" he demanded and looked at Olga who shook her head, he walked on and towards his chair "I need to know and I need to know now where my daught-uh, Ace is."

PEnguin stopped as he looked at the chair, his chair. Did he really almost call her that? Daughter? That was new, he thought as he shook his head and looked around at his men, he glared.

"Find. Her. NAAAOOOWW!!"

They rushed around at that demand and he sat down in his chair glaring at the wall in front of him "If I cannot find her, I don't know what I will do" he told Olga and placed his umbrella in his lap.

A goon came through the door "Boss?" he said and ran up to Penguin, he looked scared. Penguin glared at him.

"What? Tell me!"

"It's Ace. She's in trouble."

Penguin didn't hesitate as he stood up "Take Me to her."

(It's okay. She is a strong one. Don't Forget to watch Gotham, press Vote and send love to Barbara Kean-I mean Queen!- A.C.)


	23. The Beginning:(12-05 14:34:10)

"Why do you not show fear?!" Scarecrow yelled, Ace put her hands up in defense with a smirk as he threw a punch at her, she blocked it smoothly and sent a kick to his leg making him go down on his knees.

"I don't fear anything, Crane."

Just as she was about to kick her leg at Scarecrow's head, he ducked and moved, tripping her up causing her to fall on her butt. He moved to wrap his hands around her neck and she pushed at his arms moving them up and away from her.

She pushed him over to land on his back and she swung herself up to stand, she placed a foot over his chest and held him down, she looked towards a trash can where a camera lens was sticking out, she had to smile.

"Look who is scared now, Crane. Your toxins no longer work on me, and soon nobody in Gotham will be terrified of you."

G.C.P.D sirens wailed as cars pulled up near them, Crane grabbed Ace by her legs and brought her to her back. She landed hard and her head hit a rock that was laying near the old railroad tracks, her vision blurred for a moment as she held her head.

"I respect you for making anti-toxin. But a life without fear is worthless."

Crane stabbed his toxin filled gauntlet into her chest and ripped them across her chest, blood oozed out along her white shirt and she yelled in pain as the G.C.P.D circled Crane. He watched as she felt nothing from the toxins but instead she felt of the pain along her chest.

Ace's eyes started to close as Harvey and Gordon neared her, Harvey yelled at someone to call a ambulance as Gordon talked with her. Ace's breathe came out as gasps, Gordon held his coat to her wound.

"Stay with us, Agatha. Keep those blue eyes open."

As Gordon calmed Ace down, Scarecrow broke free of the three G.C.P.D officers spraying them with Toxin, when Gordon stood up to try to catch Crane, Crane sprayed him in the face catching him by surprise.

Gordon fell back onto the old tracks as officers rushed after Crane, he laid there holding his face and starting to twitch, Harvey knelt beside him and tried to talk him through it as he glanced over at Agatha and seen his partner, Harper, holding Jim's jacket to the girls chest.

"What was she thinking?" he mumbled as he tried to talk Jim through the toxin effects. A sound was heard that Bullock couldn't make out, he turned away from the two to find the newcomer in Gotham holding Scarecrow by the neck.

His suit was orange and black, he wore a mask of the same color, he had a sword hung across his back, he looked at the girl before looking at Bullock. Scarecrow was kicking his feet up in the air.

"I did you a favor, I captured this man. Now do me a favor" he said handing Scarecrow to a G.C.P.D officer, Scarecrow almost fell over from loss of breath "Get that girl healed."

A car squealed to a halt in front of Gotham Memorial, Barbara slammed the car into park and got out of the drivers seat with Selina already marching up the steps as Barbara got her duaghter out of the vehicle.

Selina walked through the automatic doors and marched up to the desk "Agatha Eleven. I need to know what room she is in, Harvey Bullock told Barbara Kean that Gordon was here as well" she demanded. The blonde woman nodded and looked through a sheet of paper.

"Agatha Elven is room five, Gordon is in the same room. We don'thave any extra rooms available as soon as we get two rooms open they will be seperated."

Selina groaned "Great" she said and turned as Barbara came in, she motioned for her to follow and they walked down the hall to room five.

Selina knocked before entering, Jim laid on the bed with Lee already by his side, he looked like hell. Selina smirked as little Barbara came running in towards her dad, he smiled at her as she sat on the side of the bed.

"Daddy, are you okay?"

He ruffled her hair "I'll be alright" he told her and patted her hand that laid on the bed, he looked up at Selina and raised a eyebrow "You raised a smart and un-scared girl you know."

"Where is she?"

He looked towards the curtain that was pulled closed and Selina stepped towards it pulling back the curtain, she froze completely when she seen Ace.

Oxygen was hooked up to her as well as a heart rate monitor, a IV was stuck in her hand, she wore a hospital gown and you could see bandages on her chest, her eyes were open and she looked unsure when she seen Selina.

"Agatha Elven."

Ace frowned "Thanks Jim" was all she said as Selina yanked close the curtain and started to yell at her. Jim smiled to Barbara Kean who looked ready to smack him.

"Agatha, what were you thinking? You could be dead right now! I thought I told you to never call out one of those criminals?!"

"I was doing fine. I don't need someone to tell me what to do."

Selina crossed her arms "Agatha, Scarecrow is not someone to play around with-" Ace sat up straight and felt the breathe leave her as she did so. She stopped for a moment and shook her head before interrupting Selina.

"I wasn't playing" she popped off, it made Selina stop and look at her "I was trying to show Gotham that there was no need to be scared. And I did, I recorded all of it. I showed Gotham."

"You showed everyone you are a idiot."

Ace froze and thought over what Selina had said before giving her a look "Oh? And what about the time you hated Penguin. Even grabbed his face with your claws, you were happy when he went to Blackgate and angry when he was released. How you have been acting all these years about him killing Tabitha, that wasn't crazy?" Ace asked as Selina looked at her wide eyed, shocked she would say that "You expect me to always hear about that war between you two, yet when it comes down to me talking about Scarecrow ..you never want to hear it, Selina."

Selina stood there biting her jaw in anger at what Ace said, even though she knew it was the truth, Selina flung the curtain back and stormed out of the room, she went to the waiting room and sat down in a chair, letting her anger pass.

Ace laid there on the bed looking out the window to her right. She felt guilty saying it, but it was the truth. Selina was always too caught up in her anger towards Penguin that she never cared if Ace got hurt, or if she called out Scarecrow.

I do believe this is the end of mine and Selina's friendship, she thought to herself as she tried to sit up in bed. As she did so the beeper went off that she was connected to and a couple second later a nurse rushed in.

"Whoa, all I did was move!"

The nurse nodded her head as she made Ace lay back down "You have to lay on your back and stay there, we are trying to make it to where you won't black out when we move you around later" she explained as Ace looked straight up at the ceiling.

She could hear Bullock chuckling, she heard a pop and him coughing "Keep it up, and I swear I will put you in the next room over" she heard Barbara Kean say, it made Ace grin.

Tophat on his head, monocle on his eye and a worried expression on his face, Penguin waddled into the hospital and up to the nurses desk. He looked over the desk at the woman who set there messing with a computer.

"I need the room number for Agatha Elven, please."

From behind him he heard "Don't give it to him. He doesn't deserve to go in there" he turned and saw Selina standing there with her arms crossed looking at him in anger.

"I need to see her. What happened? One minute she is going to her room because she wanted to lie down for a headache, the next she was gone."

Selina just looked at him "You shouldn't have let her out of your sight, because of your careless way, she is here in the hospital being watched because she almost bled out thanks to a idiotic plan against Scarecrow" she fumed.

Oswald just stared at her "How am I supposed to know what Aggie plans? Last I checked, you decided not to help her with her plans. Or did you suddenly change your mind?" he asked.

Selina just stared at him in anger before closing her eyes "She doesn't need you. She needs a life out of Gotham" Selina snapped and put her hands on her hips opening her eyes "And quit calling her Aggie. You don't deserve to call her anything but Ace."

Penguin just stared, what else was he to do? He wouldn't dare hit a woman ...not in public anyway, he still had his reputation to be true to. But, he was not about to let Selina Kyle see his broken heart.

"Fine. I will leave" he said letting out a sigh and turning to the woman at the nurses desk, he took a envelope out of his jacket and handed it to her "Give this to Agatha please. Nobody else. Tell her I knew it would happen this way."

The woman took the letter and Oswald turned around, held his head high like a Gentleman and nodded to Selina before walking out of the hospital, he walked out into the gloomy city street.

And felt his heart break in half for the first time in ten years.

Nygma opened his eyes to see trees above his head, the darkness of the night came sneaking over him as he sat up and looked out at the trees and bushes around him.

His mind was a blur of what happened, all he could remember was something about a truck and losing track of thought.

Edward stood up to his feet and stumbled grabbing ahold of a tree, he looked out onto the main road and seen a truck. It was a prison truck and cop cars were surrounding it.

A laugh was heard in the back of his mind, it was familiar.

His eyes widened as his mind traced back to the night before and he walked backwards before turning and running from the G.C.P.D officers and the vehicle in the road.

And, it was then Nygma had realized ...he was the reason J had escaped the G.C.P.D. officers taking him to Arkham.

All because he had wanted to prove he could kill J, and be the Dark Knight's only nemesis.

(Penguin and Selina really need a break... Don't Forget to watch Gotham, press Vote and send love to Slade Wilson, I mean, he did help Ace out! But, why did he care?- A.C.)


	24. The Beginning:(12-05 14:34:25)

Dearest Agatha,

I know you wanted revenge against Scarecrow but, this was the wrong way to go about it. And I also know that everyone will be blaming me, which they probably have the right to.

This is going to be hard but, I promise that I will never be seen around you again, but Jonathan Crane will also get what is coming to him for what he has down.

That I assure you.

Aggie, you are special and smart there is nothing to deny that, but you are smart enough to get out of Gotham.

In this envelope is a train ticket and some money, be smart and do it. This place is still a nightmare.

Thank you for giving me the daughter I never had. You are wonderful, sweet and brilliant.

Love, The Gentleman of Crime.

Oswald Cobblepot

Agatha stared at the letter in her hands feeling the ticket inside the envelope, she didn't take her eyes off of it as Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock walked into the room they stopped at the foot of her bed and looked at her.

"Whatcha reading there?"

She didn't even look up at Bullock "A letter. Apparently, I screwed up big" she said as she looked up at Jim "Are you going to send me to Blackgate? Or Arkham?" she stared at him and he shook his head sitting on the bed beside her.

"No. I think you did the right thing, and if anyone asks me, or Bullock, we are going to say Jonathan Crane attacked you first if you can tell us this one thing" he said and smirked "Did Crane hit you first?"

She stared at Jim for a moment, that's it, she thought as she stared at him, Did Crane hit me first?

Her eyes scanned Jim's face looking for any sign of trickery, there was none. She nodded "Yes, he did" she answered and looked back to the letter in her hand "Why?"

"Self defense" he answered her question and patted her knee before standing up and nodding to Bullock "come on."

Harvey's eyes went from her to Gordon "One second there, Partner" he told him and Jim shrugged going out the door and waiting in the hall, she stared at Harvey who had his arms crossed, he looked a little unsure of what to say "Look, kid. I know we have had our differences but, I am really glad you are okay. That stunt was stupid, but Crane did deserve to be embarrassed on G.C.T.V."

She smirked "Are you on my side for once, Bullock?" she asked, amused. He pointed a finger at her with a small smile and a glare.

"Don't get used to it, kid."

Agatha had to smile at him as Jim came running back into the room and looked at Harvey with a small panic look "Keep watching her, something happened. He was spotted at City Hall" he said in a rush.

"What is it?" Agatha asked as Harvey looked at Jim with a nod and straight face.

"J escaped Arkham. He might come after you, the Dark Knight told me he tried to kill you. I cannot take a chance. We didn't want to tell you until after he was caught again."

Ace just stared at him.

"What?"

Oswald looked at the door in front of him before pushing it open, he stepped inside the room and smelled the scent of lavender, it was her favorite scent. The Only thing she could stand to smell.

Agatha hated vanilla, she hated the smell of anything fruity, she didn't even like his cologne. But, she loved the scent of flowers and lavender. In the almost five months of knowing her, Oswald knew a lot about her.

He walked forward and sat on the bed remembering the first heist they had pulled together, right before they had left they were in this room discussing her rules, if only he had made more rules for her to follow and been a little tougher on her...

She might not be in the hospital.

He shook his head and put his hands up covering his face "This is all my fault" he mumbled and bent forward to look through his fingers at the floor. I should have been rougher, I should have been a better father figure-

His thoughts stopped right then when he realized what he was thinking.

Why do I keep thinking that I am a father figure? Or that she is the daughter I never had? He wondered as he shook his head in confusion "I've changed" he whispered to himself.

A knock came on the wall and he looked up to see Olga, she was standing there with a couple of boxes.

"You wanted to see me?"

He stood up from the bed and nodded putting on a face of annoyance "Yes. Olga, I need you to box up everything in this room that Agatha had brought here and that I have given her" he said in a demanding-ish tone "After her sneaking out, I do not wish to have her here."

The lie hurt him a bit, that was true, and Olga could tell it. After all these years she has stuck by Cobblepot, she never knew why, I guess you could say she either felt bad for him or had respect for him..

And that is why she spoke her mind.

"Mr. Cobblepot, if I may?" Oswald raised his eyebrows at her "Madam Agatha, I saw her sneaking out. I did not tell because she has her own battles to fight just like you. I did not ask nor tell because I respect someone's privacy" Olga said "She likes it here. I have talked with the young girl before and it is nice to see you smile every once in awhile."

Oswald looked shocked, nobody has seen him smile he has made sure of it. But of course someone who has known him for so long could see it, he frowned and shook his head.

"She would be better off without my guidance."

Olga huffed "Whatever you think. Just know, if it weren't for you that girl would be out on the streets trying to survive. Her and Ms. Kyle were fighting when you found her, what would have happened if you had not taken her in like you had?"

With that, Olga turned around and left the room leaving Oswald standing there to think.

Agatha laid on the hospital bed lost in thought while Bullock sat in the chair beside the bed with his legs kicked up on the window, he was snoring with a newspaper over his face. Apparently the funny pages were boring today.

"Harvey?" She whispered trying to get his attention, his snoring got louder "Harvey?!" She yelled louder, he was still snoring as loud as he could. Is he trying his best to ignore me? She thought and rolled her eyes as she threw the hospital cover off of her and slowly stood up grabbing ahold of the IV pole with monitor.

She unplugged it from the wall and slowly walked towards the hospital door, she opened it up and walked out into the hall.

Where exactly is the cafeteria?

Ace walked forward to the elevator and saw the hospital map beside the elevator button, she looked at it to find that the cafeteria was on the first floor. She pressed the down button and got in the elevator.

It took her down to the cafeteria and she walked straight to it, only to find it was locked.

But, not for long.

She felt her hair and realized she doesn't wear bobby pins or such, she looked towards a small desk where some would ask for information, she walked towards it and searched through the drawers.

She picked up a flathead screwdriver and smirked before walking back to the cafeteria door.

Ace had it open in no time, she pushed open the door and walked towards the small buffet that had been set up for dinnertime earlier. She wrinkled her nose seeing gross looking cheeseburgers.

Spotting a small freezer, she walked towards it to find an apple pie and some grapes. She grabbed those and a bottle of water. She walked towards a table and sat down.

She ate her pie and drank her water as the doors opened to the cafeteria, she stayed where she was seeing a dark haired woman walk into the room wearing a hospital gown.

Agatha swallowed her mouthful of water "You a runaway too?" she joked motioned to the gown that woman was wearing.

She smiled "Apparently, I am" she said simply and cocked her head to the side "Who are you?"

"Agatha Elven. You may know my name thanks to the Gotham Chronicle. And Jack Ryder."

The woman shook her head "No. I'm sorry, I just woke up. Apparently I have been asleep for awhile, I got hungry" she stopped seeing the leftover food and made the same face Agatha had "Uh, is there anything-?" Agatha pointed to the freezer thing and the woman smiled at her before grabbing a tray of fruit.

She walked forward and stood near Ace, opening the container of fruit "So, Ms. Agatha. Why was The Gotham Chronicle talking about you?" She asked curiously.

"Lies. I think that is all these reporter people in Gotham do is lie. Thanks to them every villain in this stinking city knows who I am."

The woman chuckled "Sometimes, it might be a good thing. It just might keep them at bay" she pointed out as she ate an apple slice "Mm. It has been awhile since I have ate one of these."

"Yeah, well it hasn't kept any villains at bay. Or even the Dark Knight."

The woman ate another apple slice "You can always use it as fear, as a weapon against the criminal world" she told Ace and started for the cafeteria doors "It was nice speaking with you, Agatha."

"Wait I didn't get your name."

The woman turned around, moved hair from her face and gave a sparkling white toothed smile "Sofia Falcone."

With that, she walked towards the door and Agatha's eyes widened remembering Oswald mentioning that name, she was someone he hated with a passion.

And is supposed to be in a coma.

Agatha shook her head and stood up to throw away her pie box and water bottle, the cafeteria doors slammed and she turned around.

"Well, that didn't take long."

J stood there pointing a gun at her, his goons were beside him. She clenched her hands into fists and pursed her lips.

"Leave me alone."

J laughed maniacally and shook his head "I cannot do that you see, I have a question for you," he said and put up his gun, crossing his arms.

Ace stared at him in a confused way "And what might that be?"

"Will you join me and my special friends in making Gotham a better place?"

And she knew what he was talking about, he was offering her what he had offered Nygma, Selina, Firefly, Hatter and even Oswald.

An offer to make Gotham go insane.

(B*ch BAck From The Coma, eh? Don't Forget to watch Gotham, press Vote and send love to Sofia! (Well, not lots of love.) What do you think is going to happen?- A.C.)


	25. The Beginning:(12-05 14:34:36)

Ace stood there staring down J "Never. Gotham is wonderful how it is, if people are drove insane where would the fun be in doing what we criminals do?" she asked.

J laughed "You consider yourself a criminal?"

"Why not? Everyone else does in this stinking city."

J chuckled "I think you are a wannabe, you will never be as good as me. Or do you want to be just alike Selina Kyle? Maybe Cobblepot? Maybe you want to be better than us?" He said with a smile "Now, there is a joke."

Ace started forward to smack him and the cafeteria doors busted open.

"G.C.P.D, drop your weapons!"

Harry, Jim and Harper stood there ready to shoot at J who just sighed, shook his head and looked at his men.

"WELL, ARE YOU GOING TO JUST STAND THERE OR ARE YOU GOING TO ATTACK?!"At that shout, they fired at the three G.C.P.D Amigo's and they fired back, Ace took off running for the door and behind the gun battle.

She ran through the halls of the hospital and to a small room near the bathroom, she turned around found a box of lost and found. She looked down at her hospital gown and back at the box.

She jerked the IV out of her hand and grabbed the box.

Grabbing some jeans and a plain white shirt and changing into it. She picked up a pair of torn tennis shoes and walked out of the room, she walked out the doors and passed people that were cowering down from the shooting within the hospital.

As soon as she exited the doors, she took off at a run.

Oswald stood in front of the fireplace holding the feathered trench he had gotten Ace, spots of blood from what Scarecrow had done was on the white collar.

He wrapped the coat up and got ready to put it in the fireplace to burn when someting caught his ears.

"A shooting at Gotham Memorial Hospital took place today, number of death is ten while injured is fifteen. G.C.P.D commissioner Jim Gordon says Jeremiah Valeska got away."

The coat was dropped on the couch and his umbrella was gone as the door to Cobblepot manor slammed shut.

Ace looked up at the old house that stood before her then down at where her hand was bandaged horribly from where she had taken the IV out.

She marched up the steps and kicked open the door, Scarecrow thugs sat on the couch, they turned and seen her. They stood up and before they could move toward her, Ace was done taking them down.

She stabbed one with his own knife before kicking another in the head, anger boiled through her at Scarecrow, she grabbed a goon by the head and sent it through the wall before kicking the last one into a mirror.

She stood there breathing heavy as the one she had pushed into the mirror tried to stand, she grabbed him by his collar and pushed him into the couch moving her face close to his.

"Where is Scarecrow" she hissed at him, he looked up at her wide eyed, she shook him and hit his back against the couch again, this time harder "Where is he?!"

"Gotham Docks. He plans on setting fear toxin into the river."

She didn't even thank him, she just bashed his head straight into the painting above the fireplace before walking out of the room and to the docks.

Selina ran to the hospital and looked at the damage before finding Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock. She rode the elevator up and to Ace's room, as soon as she got to the door she heard voices.

"Well, where could she have possibly gone, Jim?!"

"I don't know, Oswald. We are trying our best" Jim shouted as Selina walked in, Harvey sat on Ace's bed while Gordon and Cobblepot were near the window, Bruce was sitting in a chair looking at Gordon.

Selina looked around the room, her eyes searched for Ace "Where is she?" she whispered, Bruce looked up and stood as Selina walked further into the room.

"We don't know. We think she left when J attacked" Jim said, she looked around her and saw Cobblepot.

Gone. Out in Gotham with that maniac on the loose, all because we got into a fight, all because she wanted to learn from ...

"You!" Selina shouted and lunged at Oswald who looked wide eyed.

"Oh hell!"

Ace walked around the docks before climbing up on top of a warehouse by ladder, she pulled herself up and saw him standing there looking out on the water, a bag of Fear Toxin in his hand.

"I kept expecting you since the hospital accident."

The wind picked up and blew at her hair, Crane's coat blew in the wind as he stood with his back to her "You knew I would come looking for you" she guessed as he turned around and stared at her "Did you also know I would attack your men?"

"Have you not learned your lesson? You cannot defeat me. Everyone has something they fear, and if not there is no reason for them to live."

They stared each other down and Ace showed him the knife in her hand "This just stabbed a bad wound into one of you're men, now I am going to stick it up your ass and make you into a Garden's Scarecrow."

"Then do it."

Ace ran forward and stabbed Scarecrow in the arm making him yell.

"Damnnit, Selina" Bruce yelled when she elbowed him in the face, he had her by her waist and caught her in the air.

"If it wasn't for you, no other criminal would know her!" She screamed at Oswald who looked guilty from where he stood beside Jim.

"I know."

Selina stopped fighting as she looked at him in confusion "What?" She said, Bruce set her on the ground keeping a hand on her shoulder.

"I brought her into this criminal world. I take full responsibility for it, if I had not of wanted a weapon against this Dark Knight, she would be fine. Instead I took her in, but I did not expect to get close to her."

Selina just stared at him for a moment before looking at the ground "If I hadn't of yelled at her, she would probably be fine right now. But, I do agree that she wanted to get back at Scarecrow for what he done. She did experiments to create the anti-toxin herself, I guess Ivy finally helped her."

Jim raised a eyebrow "Anti-Toxin?" he questioned.

"Yeah, since Ivy helped save her when Scarecrow first attacked her. You didn't know that?" Selina asked Gordon who looked at Harvey.

Harvey shrugged "Sounds to me like it is both of your faults. Now we need to find her" he said and crossed his arms looking between Jim and Selina.

Bruce spoke up "I think I know where to start" he said as he looked at the TV, everyone looked and Selina gasped.

The headline read: Scarecrow Henchmen, found dead.

Agatha ducked as Scarecrow swung a punch at her with his syringe gauntlet, she grabbed him by the arm and flung him down on his back, she stood over him with a foot on his chest and knife in stabbing style.

"Do it. It just shows you are afraid of me."

Ace stared down at him and looked at the water flowing under the docks, she looked at Scarecrow and shook her head.

"I am not going to kill you. I have a better idea."

Bruce didn't wait, he left the building and changed before going straight to the scene of the crime, he looked through Scarecrow's lair looking for anything that could lead him to Agatha.

He looked around at tanks of Fear Gas and bags of Fear Toxin before looking on Jonathan Crane's workbench.

He found a card for Gotham Docks, signed by someone named "Mr. Fine", apparently Scarecrow had bought a warehouse at the docks. That has to be where she went.

She went to find Crane.

She looked at Scarecrow who was tied hanging down from the warehouse into the water that was splashing around, he struggled from where he was tied.

"That is your brilliant plan."

She shrugged "It works. I get to see you suffer, you see if I sprinkle some Fear Toxin into your face we get to see what you fear, Crane."

"And it will also get into the water."

She glared up at him "Let it. I'll be gone before sunset" she said simply and stood up from where she was crouched down before walking to get the fear toxin bag.

When she turned she was face to face with The Dark Knight.

"Put it down, Ace."

Ace smiled "Nice to see you face to face. I was starting to think you didn't like me" she said as she started forward, he grabbed her by the arm and pulled the bag from her hands.

"Give that back."

"You are confused, don't let Scarecrow get to you. You don't want this for Gotham."

"I decided that I hate Gotham. Too much has happened to me here."

"This is exactly what J wants. Gotham will go insane if you do this" the Dark Knight told her.

"You let J escape transport to Arkham! He should be buried under G.C.P.D for what he done! Instead he is running loose, if you dont care than neither should Gotham" she said as she stared at him "This will be both of our faults!"

She pushed him, his leg wrapped around the rope trap that was seat and he flew over the edge of the warehouse roof, hanging from the streetlight below the warehouse.

Ace laughed as she looked down at the man who hung from the streetlight below her "You aren't a hero. You are hardly a man" she said and put her hands on her hips "Every criminal in this City will know my name. And they will know your identity."

Something shot out and grabbed Ace's leg, she looked to see the man holding some kind of gun that had a claw on the end.

Her eyes widened as he jerked it and she fell off the warehouse roof, she landed on her back on the ground with a yell, she held her head and looked up to see he was free of her trap and landed on the ground in a crouch.

He raised up and walked towards her "I am not a man. I am not a hero" he spoke in a low tone as he looked down at Ace, her eyes widened as she sat on the ground trying to get up.

"I am The Dark Knight." She stood up and threw the knife that was on her side at him.

A shot rang out into the night and the Dark Knight grappled out of the way missing it.

It was like slow motion. Instead of the bullet hitting The Dark Knight, it hit Ace in the middle of her stomach causing her to drop to the ground in pain and hold her stomach. She gasped as the pain hit her hard.

Oswald dropped his umbrella gun with wide eyes "No!" he shouted as he hobbled toward her. He looked down at her "No, no, no, no" he repeated as he felt a tear fall from his eyes, then he looked to the sky where the Knight is seen standing on a building.

"You will pay for this!"

(But, Oswald didn't mean to ..It wasn't for her.. Don't Forget to watch Gotham, press Vote and send love to Penguin! He really needs it.- A.C.)


	26. The Beginning:(12-05 14:34:46)

"You ..foolish girl" Oswald choked out as he slowly got on his knee beside her and steadied himself with his hand, he looked down at Ace as he took off his purple jacket and pressed it to her bullet wound on her stomach "Why didn't you stay away like I asked of you? You wouldn't be in this position you are in now."

Ace coughed up blood and Oswald closed his eyes so he wouldn't have to watch it, Ace looked at him and reached her hand out to grab his. Oswald stared at her hand then grabbed it with his free hand as Ace spoke.

"I-I couldn't let you face ...him alone. I-I know you were going to look for-for Crane, You know, not many care for us street kids. But, you and Selina helped me more than you both think" she spoke slowly as Oswald watched her, she gasped for air "Birds of a Feather ..Flock Together, right?"

"I'm sorry, Aggie. I really am."

Something happened that doesn't happen much to him anymore, his voice broke as he tried to bat away a tear that fell over her. He closed his eyes tight and could re the anger surge through him.

Anger at the ones who thought she was a criminal.

Anger at Jim Gordon for not watching her.

Anger at the Dark Knight.

And anger at himself for not keeping a eye on her.

Selina watched the scene from the roof of a Warehouse and put a hand over her heart as she watched the kid she cared for all of these years die in the arms of The Penguin.

Anger boiled through her as she turned around and walked away, she knew who she was going to go after. And it wasn't a criminal.

She jumped from building to building before jumping at the Dark Knight, who was watching the scene too, he caught her in the air for a hug. She beat him on the back as she yelled and slowly started to stop as she thought about Agatha.

"Move! Move! Move!"

He tried to fight his way through the Gotham streets that were filled with people, Oswald was panicking. For what seemed the first time in ten years, Oswald Cobblepot did not know what to do.

Rygie carried a limp Ace who was slowly bleeeding out, she was unconsious. For now.

Rygie looked at Penguin "Boss, there is no way we can get through this crowd" he said, Oswald looked around frantically and noticed where they were, he grabbed the goon by his collar and tugged him towards a alley.

Behind a bar was the secret door to Rogue's Gallery, Oswald rapped three times on the door quickly and it was answered by a Nygma goon, Oswald said the secret word and was let into the room.

Him and Rygie moved hurridly towards the main room where Rygie laid Ace down on the table, Oswald looked around and noticed talking from the back room, he went over and basically beat down the door.

"Hey. Hey? Hey!" he screamed, the door opened revealing Scarecrow, then Nygma, then Ivy. Oswald looked frantic as he looked at them.

"I shot at the Dark Knight, he moved and the bullet hit Ace, she is dying."

Ivy's eyes widened "What" she said as she shoved Oswald out of the way and walked towards Ace who laid on the table, she stopped walking when she seen the girl.

Nygma walked into the room and hurridly listened to her heart by pressing a ear to Ace's chest, he took her wrist in his hand and waited, he looked towards the others "She is slowly dying, clearly. We could do something but we have no tools here" he said and put a hand to his head "Honest, why do we not keep first aid or something."

Scarecrow looked at the girl, maybe he did feel sorry for her. Maybe he didn't, you couldn't tell with Jonathan Crane. He did have respect for her, not just anyone can create a antidote to his toxins.

"Ivy" breathed Scarecrow who looked at him "The flower you used to heal her from my Fear Toxins, I need it."

Oswald looked at him "Do you think you can heal her?" he asked Crane who turned to him and shook his head causing Oswald to callapse into a chair.

"No. But, I can buy us some time" he told The Penguin and looked to The Riddler "Go find J. Tell him about this."

Scoffing, Ivy called to her plants for the flower and said "And just what can that clown do, Scarecrow? He tried to kill her."

Riddler walked away, but not before saying "Hasn't almost all of us tried?" the door slammed behind him and Oswald put his head in his hands.

Ivy and Jonathan worked together as soon as Ivy's plant brought the flower to them, Jonathan worked and finally brought up a syringe filled liquid of gold and blue making Oswald gulp "Are you positive it just won't ...drive her insane?" he asked like a worried father. "Can't she overdose on that stuff?"

"How much further insane can she go?" Ivy answered as Jonathan went forward and pushed the needle into the girls arm "It won't kill her. Since it is in her system it will keep her alive a little longer."

Oswald watched as the slow breathing continued and put his hand to his head as he leaned forward in the chair. "Come on, Crane" Ivy whispered and brought a hand to her mouth watching and waiting.

Her breathing picked up more making Ivy sigh with relief as Scarecrow applied a towel he had found in the back to the girl's wound, he applied pressure and watched as her breathing became normal.

"How long will this last?"

Scarecrow looked towards Penguin "Awhile. At least until J comes" he said looking down at the girl he has had a very long rivalry with, if she can survive fear toxin that is as strong as his, she can survive a wound like this.

"I still don't see how Jeremiah can help" Ivy said in a tone and crossed her arms.

Riddler came from the entrance and rolled his eyes as he walked into the room and stared down at Ace, he looked up at Ivy "Surprisingly, I don't see how either" he said in a dull tone.

Laughing came from the doorway as J stepped into the room and clapped his hands together "I cannot help her. But, I do have a friend who can" J said and put a hand to his chin acting like he was thinking "Hm, I think I could do better than the Dark Knight himself. This work is sloppy."

Oswald stood up and pointed his umbrella at the clown "This is no laughing matter. Now, she has left a mark on every single one of us, there is no way you can help her" he said sternly as he looked towards Scarecrow who was applying more pressure now "There is no other option than surgery, and we do not have the medical equipment for that."

"There is one option. A trip to the lazurus pit" a voice in the dark said coming from the shadows, he stepped out and grinned "And I am the only one who knows where the last of it is."

Oswald, Nygma and Ivy took a step back to where they were all three side by side, Oswald gulped as Ra's al Ghul stepped out from the shadows and looked at the girl laying on the table "Oh my-" Ra's held a hand up and cut off Oswald from speaking.

"I know. Shocking" Ra's said rolling his eyes "You see my daughter, I believe you met Nyssa, she decided to find another Lazarus pit, she didn't believe the directions I had left for her were true, until she found the secret entrance. Just right before you enter Gotham, she found it by your submarine. After she healed herself and brought me back to life" he took a breath and smiled "I have kept a very close eye on this girl. For awhile I believed she would be good for the league."

"Why? How?" was the only words Oswald could come up with as he looked at J "You knew this entire time that he was alive?"

J chuckled "Guilty. Me and al Ghul here, we go way back" he said and laughed even louder "We did blow Gotham sky high."

Oswald shook his head "Why do you think I would agree with sending her to this Lazarus Pit of yours" Oswald questioned.

"Why do you think any of us would" Ivy said taking Oswald's side.

Ra's smiled "Because she has no other choice. The girl is dying." And as soon as he said those words, Scarecrow looked up at them and moved his hands from the wound.

Ace was gasping for air, Oswald, Ivy and Nygma looked at the other and back at Ra's.

The Lazarus Pit was underground under the old casino, Oswald, Ivy, Riddler, J, and Scarecrow stood in the lobby. Ivy made a couple of plant chairs out of plants growing in the room, they all sat down and Oswald put his umbrella across his legs as he watched Ra's al Ghul disappear down some stairs.

Ra's walked down into the dark basement of the casino and stepped on a rock in front of a wall, the wall slolwy moved to reveal a entrance, he turned to a shadow in the corner "Keep them occupied. Do not let them come down here, this shall be done in no time" he told the shadow, it nodded and he walked down towards the pit.

Suddenly, the door to the Casino room busted open and she appeared looking around for her victim, she spotted him and walked right to him. Oswald held his hands up as she approached and grabbed him by the collar.

"Where is Ace?" Selina hissed as she looked around her at her fellow criminals "I want to know now."

Oswald looked wide eyed at her "Down there with Ra's al Ghul" he whispered, she let him go and he fell into the chair, he looked at her and Ivy spoke up as she cared for a plant where she sat.

"It is the only way, Selina. She is dying."

"You had no right!" Selina yelled at them and tapped her claws into her hand as she glared at the criminals around her "I raised that girl, none of you did. This should be my decision."

Oswald stared at her "You left her to die. At the hands of this so called Dark Knight. I saved her. I had all the right in the world to save Ace."

"So, you turn her over to Ra's al Ghul and his daughter? You turned her to the Lazarus pit?!" Selina shouted pointing a cat claw at his pointy nose "Doesn't sound all that right to me, Penguin."

Oswald stared her in the eyes from where he stood "I cannot lose another person I have come to care for, Ms. Kyle. You should know that feeling. Think of Tabitha."

Selina glared at him "Don't bring her into this" she hissed at him and crossed her arms "This should have been my decision."

"But, you weren't there ...were you?"

The words hit Selina like a train as she remembered seeing the scene, she had ran after Bruce and tried to fight him. It only led into him restraining her and hugging her, she looked down at the floor and bit her lip. Oswald nodded and sat back down in his chair.

"That is what I thought."

Steps were heard walking up the stairs and towards them "Wow. How long has it been? Nine? Ten years already?" she said as she came into view and clapped her hands together "It seems like just yesterday that I stole the sub, jewels and the dog." Nyssa pushed her hair back behind her shoulders and smiled towards Penguin then Riddler "Sorry about that. A girl had to find a way off of this land."

Oswald's nose twitched "You bi-" he was cut off by her laughing.

"Oh, Mr. Cobblepot, there is no need for foul language when I have a gift for you."

Oswald gave her a confused look and suddenly he jumped up from the chair and held his umbrella gun up ready to shoot as he stepped behind it, the person he had once knew came out from the shadows, new and improved.

"Butch?" Oswald said in surprise as Nyssa al Ghul walked forward and smiled at The Penguin and turned to her new friend "H-how?"

"Cyrus Gold, I believe you mean, or should we say Solomon Grundy?" She said and turned to Oswald "We fixed him using the new-ish Lazarus pit. He remembered everything."

Oswald gulped "E-everything?" he asked, Nyssa smiled.

"Almost everything."

Butch-Grundy walked forward to look at Oswald. He only said two words.

"I ...under...stand."

Oswald's fear gone just as it had came, he knew what he meant by that and Grundy patted his shoulder before walking away and sitting on the floor, he just looked at him and back to Nyssa.

"Anybody else I should worry about?"

She shook her head no "Not so far. I know you all want the Dark Knight stopped, well, as do I" she said and put her hands on her hips "I know ...our first meeting didn't go so well."

"You think?" Oswald said as he stared at the friend he had murdered sitting in the corner, he was a little worried that they were putting on a show and would soon attack him.

Nyssa laughed "Don't worry, Mr. Cobblepot. He won't attack. He only wants the same chaos you all do" she said and flipped her hair behind her shoulder.

Selina looked at Nyssa and narrowed her eyes "Just what do you want with Ace? What is she to you al Ghul's?" she asked Nyssa, Nyssa looked at her and cocked her head to the side.

"She is a special girl. You did well, Ms. Kyle. We have no special intrest, we just wish to help."

All of the villains looked at each other before looking back at Nyssa.

Down below, Ace laid on the ground as Ra's looked out at the pit "Tell me, are you ready to witness the pit? Are you ready to see the magic work it's wonder" he looked down at Ace "Are you ready to bring this young woman back to life? To serve us and make Gotham crime-free?" he asked as he walked forward and grabbed Ace into his arms.

But, he was talking to another person in the room.

A young woman about Selina's age walked forward, her soft long black hair hung past her shoulders, she had dark eyes and wore tight leather pants, a leather vest and black boots, she carried a sword on her side and nodded to Ra's.

"Yes. I am ready to witness, father."

He sighed "Talia, my beautiful daughter. You are slowly becoming a true al Ghul" he said as he lowered Ace into the pit, the green liquid over took her as she sunk down into it, Ra's clasped his hands together as he watched the pit come to life, his eyes filled with excitement as Talia al Ghul's eyes filled with fear.

Ace laid in the water, her memories came back to her of her old life, learning under The Penguin and Selina, dealing with every criminal and up to the moment of her death. Visions of the Dark Knight came to her as she moved and she felt blood come to her chest, her body jerked under the water.

Ra's watched the ripple in the water as Ace floated to the top of it, Talia's scream filled the air and reached up to where the villains were above them, everyone from Scarecrow to Grundy jumped and looked down below them, Oswald stood up in worriment "What was that?" he said.

Nyssa smiled "New life brought to Gotham. This is just the beginning."

Ace's eyes opened, and she breathed her first breath.

(Thanks al Ghul for the pit. Don't Forget to watch Gotham, press Vote and send love to the Gothamites! - A.C.)


End file.
